Saiyan Muyo
by kyugan
Summary: Saiyans, the greatest warrior race in the history of the universe. Fearless, Peerless, Ruthless, built for one purpose only: Destruction. Situation normal for Tenchi then. AU crossover. Sasami/Tarble, Ryoko/Tenchi For now ...Raditz/Washu? OH F-!
1. Chapter 1

Greetings all!

Friendly Neighbourhood Review-Whore Kyugan here, with another startling brain child from the depths of my twisted imagination.

For those of you wondering, yes, I am apparently over the worst of my sickleave, as i can now swallow liquids without feeling as if someone sandbalsted my throat.

Updates are still going to besporadic, as i'm prepping for a trip abroad, but rest assured, they will be coming down the line.

That said, this little baby's a doozy, even if i do say so myself, and before you ask, YES it's AU, and NO, it won't be to AU.

* * *

Prologue.

Raditz grimaced, the Saiyan staggering against a wall as he glared up into the bloody sky of his home planet, Vegetasei, grimacing at the barely visible speck that hung at the edge of sight.

Normally, Raditz wouldn't put much past something that could just as easily be an eye-floater, something that was QUITE common among Saiyans, as you didn't endure countless battles without SOMETHING jarring loose. But then NORMALLY Raditz wouldn't have just narrowly survived a fight with Frieza's elites, having been ambushed while off-world, only surviving because of the good fortune of the planet's moon rising while the idiots stood over his half-dead corpse.

Nothing like going 'ape shit' on a bunch of overconfident elites to make a low-class warrior feel all special inside.

As it was, Raditz had gleaned enough during his brief moments of consciousness during the beating to learn that his entire race was in danger of being wiped out by Frieza, despite generations of thankless servitude they'd provided the changeling with. Not only that, but it seemed the tyrant had his eye set on the Princes, Vegeta and Tarble, intending to make them his personal servants…in other words, little more than pets.

Not if Raditz had any say about it, which is why he currently had the second prince, Tarble, slung over his shoulder, having rescued the child from the group Frieza had sent in to capture him. The prince was looking a little roughed up, apparently Frieza had forgotten to inform his troops to 'handle with care', though Raditz suspected the lizard-faced freak had PURPOSELY ordered such treatment.

As it as Raditz was badly injured, his bones aching from planet fall and TWO fights with Frieza's lackeys, though admittedly the group sent after Tarble had been no better than a pack of unruly Saibamen, no brains and hardly any muscle, but then, as much as it shamed him to admit it, prince Tarble hardly merited the need for Elites.

Not that such thoughts served any relevant purpose. BOTH of them were likely to collapse at this rate, and seeing as how the majority of his fellows believed Raditz to be as high as a kite, or having suffered too many blows to the head, it wasn't likely he was going to convince any to get off world with them.

Admittedly, he COULD have marched in with Tarble's bloody body over his shoulder, but knowing his fellow Saiyans, they'd have jumped to the conclusion that HE'D attacked the prince, which would've been counterproductive to his plans for 'staying alive'.

'Pull it together…' he muttered, grimacing as he stepped forwards, ribs and body aching with each agonizing step, making sure to avoid jostling his precious cargo as he staggered towards the space port 'Pods…only chance…'

Fortunately for Raditz, as Saiyans were pretty much considered 'on-call' at all times for grunt work, there were several unattended Space Pods littering the launch pads of the space port, just WAITING to be sent off into the void of space.

Furthermore, it didn't require a rocket scientist to launch the blasted things. The entire process was almost completely automated, the onboard computer handling most of the work while the pilot sat back and caught up on their rest.

'Sorry for the rough treatment…' Raditz offered, tucking the unconscious form of Tarble into the first pod with unusual gentleness, for a Saiyan that is, the Low-Class Warrior ensuring that the second prince's life support systems were secure and functioning, before giving instructions to the onboard computer and shutting the hatch.

Clambering into his own pod, loosing a gasp of agony as the motion jarred his aching body, the Saiyan grit his teeth as the pod blasted through the stratosphere, the g-forces, normally bearable, make that laughable, forcing the injured Saiyan back against his chair, the oxygen mask he'd placed over his mouth obscuring his agonized grimace as he braced himself for the weightlessness of space.

Something exploded behind them, the shockwave crashing into the pods, sending them spiralling into the sea of stars, Raditz's cry of alarm cutting off as he blacked out.

* * *

_An eternity later..._

"He's coming around…" a nasal, disgustingly alien voice murmured, Raditz's eyes twitching, a scowl marring his features as he felt cool liquid wash over him "Good grief, do you think he has enough HAIR?"

"He's a SAIYAN." A snide voice muttered, Raditz's brows furrowing at the condescending tone his race was spoken with, making a note to throttle the prick for the affront "I'm more surprised he's ALIVE."

"I think he's waking up." Another voice, identical to the first, noted, the sound of tapping glass echoing in front of Raditz, who became dimly aware of a sensation of floating, as if her were submerged in water.

'Healing tank…' the Saiyan realized, his eyes creaking open, his features obscured by an oxygen mask as he glared out at the alien creatures that were pressing themselves against the view screen, his body tensing as he took in their apparel, that of Freiza's forces.

"Well now, awake are we?" a charismatic voice noted, Raditz's eyes narrowing as the gathered aliens stepped aside to reveal another figure, his image blurred by the darkness outside the tank "Raisin, let him out."

"At once…" one of the earlier voices conceded, Raditz's eyes narrowing as the green, healing liquid that was in fact artificial Saiyan DNA drained out of the tank, leaving him to drip dry as he pried off the oxygen mask and cables that had been attached to monitor his progress.

"Easy now," the charismatic voice chuckled, watching as Raditz stepped out of the tank, staggering slightly from a slight case of vertigo, a common aliment after an extended recovery period in the tanks "You're just up, give yourself time to get your bearings."

"Where the hell am I?" Raditz demanded, the Saiyan warrior heedless of his nudity, hell nudity was considered 'casual wear' on Vegetasei, as he glared at his surroundings, noting that he appeared to be on one of Frieza's Saucer ships, something that set him on edge.

"Whoa there…" the charismatic voice offered, a cloaked figure stepping out of the shadows, light glancing off a red Scouter lens "No need to bare your fangs pup…this isn't one of Frieza's ships, though it DOES belong to the Cold Dynasty…for now anyways."

"Who?" Raditz muttered, the Saiyan's dark eyes narrowing at the apparent leader as he stepped forwards, only to widen in shock as the cloaked figure's features came into view with startling clarity "Father?"

"Father?" the Bardock look-alike repeated, quirking one brow, the familiar features quirking into the typical Saiyan sneer "Ah, you must mean Bardock, well, I suppose there IS a familial resemblance…so you're HIS brat are you?"

"I am." Raditz muttered his eyes narrowing as he took in the smirking visage of the stranger, noticing several minute differences from his Sire. Facial features aside, this Saiyan's skin tone was dark grey, typical of those hailing from the northern wastes, as was his physique, which was more akin to Raditz's own than Bardock's, which had been slimmer, emphasizing balance over power.

Furthermore, the look-alike's armour was that of a FIRST class Saiyan Warrior, while Bardock, as efficient and deadly as he'd been, had been born in the lower Caste, much like Raditz himself.

"Well, as ironic as it would be to pretend otherwise, I'm afraid I'm NOT your father brat." The Saiyan snorted, crossing his arms beneath his cloak "The name is Turles, and I suppose you could say I'm your father's Elder brother."

Raditz would have scoffed at Turles words if he wasn't staring the validity of them, literally, in the face. Instead he turned his gaze towards the surrounding medical chamber, eyes alighting on a second tank humming away "The prince-!"

"Is fine." Turles assured his nephew, stepping forwards to stand before Tarble's healing tank with a strange smirk on his face "You did good work nephew, not only did you manage to survive Frieza's purging, but you also managed to ensure the Line of Vegetasei continues."

"Frieza…" Raditz muttered, the younger Saiyan's relief at the prince's well being giving away to anger and suspicion as he turned to his father's brother with a scowl "What of the heir? What of Vegetasei?"

"The heir is fine," Turles assured him, a wry smirk on his face "I believe he was off world at the time, on a mission from Frieza no less." He scowled, his tail lashing irritably "Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for our home."

"Then it's true…" Raditz muttered, his fists clenching as he recalled the bone-jarring explosion that had cast his pod into space "That bastard!" he swore, punching a nearby wall "We slaved away for him for generations…and this is how he repays us?"

"Calm yourself, Nephew." Turles ordered, his tone bemused as he continued to stare in on the slumbering Tarble "Let Frieza have his day…for now, we have things to do…" his lip curled as he sneered at his nephew "Starting with getting you outfitted…Cacao!"

"Da…" a mechanized voice acknowledged, Raditz turning to find a creature with a face like molten silly-putty in cybernetic silver armour standing off to the side, the corner of his lips rising as he snarled at it in disgust.

"Take my Nephew to the armoury and see about getting him some proper gear…" Turles ordered, nodding his head towards the mechanical monstrosity with a smirk in Raditz's general direction, before turning his attention to the prince's healing tank "We've got work to do."

Raditz, honestly torn between wanting to get FAR away from his uncle's smirking face, and his discomfort with leaving the older Saiyan with Prince Tarble, decided to put his thoughts on hold for now as he marched off after the mechanized minion, fully intending to return once he'd at least gotten something to wear.

After all, the Cold family saucer ships weren't exactly known for their warm, comfortable atmospheres.

* * *

And that's that, for now anyways, I'll have the first official chapter posted soon enough, rest assured.

As some might have garnered from the title, this is a cross between DBZ and Tenchi Muyo (The original, though Universe was good too, and elements of it may appear later) A popular crossover pairing, I think, but it's rarely approached nowadays for some reason or other.

This fic basically combines elements the Tenchi Muyo OVA's (prior to the Clay arc) with plots from certain DBZ movies (Which ones are debateable,) and bits from the Tenchi Mangas (No Need and All New), which are surprisingly good for all the OC's that are never mentioned again. (Minagi needs more love, seriously).

For this Prelude chapter, here's a basic rundown on how this universe differs from Canon:

1. Raditz was off world on a mission in canon, which enabled him to survive the purging of Vegetasei. In this one, he and his squad were ambushed by Frieza's elites, escaping back to the planet, possibly before Bardock's arrival, only to be met with the same mockery as his father. Giving up on gaining assistance, he wound up helping Tarble escape from Vegetasei, scant seconds before Frieza turned it into his personal fireworks display.

2. Turles, who is Bardock's elder ELITE brother in this universe, rather than some ambiguous relative of Goku's, picked the pair up and integrated them into his crew, who for convenience's sake, are part of Cooler's armoured core, albeit low on the ladder.

3. Tenchi's Earth, and Goku's 'Earth' are two different worlds, which have the ironic coincidence of sharing the same name. As a result, there will be no Dragonballs to provide Deus Ex Machina solutions, just good old fashioned musclework and a little science.

Washu: Delicious, MAGICAL science.

Raditz: Shut up, you.

4. This prologue takes place several years before the main storyline, as Tarble is still a child. In short, the events of Dragonball, or the first season of the Tenchi Ova, will have been carried out before the Saiyans make their apearance in Tenchi's back yard, by which time, he'll be roughly the same age as Sasami, if not older.

5. As stated earlier, Raditz's relationship with Tarble will be simillar to the one Nappa has with Vegeta (That of a loyal guardsman and prince) though admittedly, Raditz will be a lot more loyal, less prone to anger, and generally more competent, mainly because he's had most, if not all, of his arrogance pounded out of him by Turles and his crew by the time the main plotline starts.

6. The pairings for this pic, aside from the aforementioned Tarble x Sasami, will be touched on as the story progresses, and I am rather confident they are entirely the result of my own devious mind, though as stated before, I'll be more than glad to be proven wrong.

Also, as stated earlier, the Opening 'Saga' of this fic would predictably follow that of the DBZ movie: The Tree of Might, and work on from there. I figure this should be well within reason, since most of the DBZ movies occur outside canon timelines, and can thus be 'copy pasted', so to speak, and dropped on Tenchi's doorstep*

Tenchi: HEY WAIT A MINIUTE!

Ryoko: *Smirking as she uses her tails to squeeze his nuts* Hush.

So come on everyone, let's sit back and watch the Greatest Saga Never Told!

Bardock: Finally, my useless son gets his act together.

Raditz: F-!-ck you old man.

Adult!Washu: Now now my little sexmonkey, no swearing before the reviewers, or there'l be no 'tail-tag' tonight.

Raditz: *Grumbles*...damn tail-teasing...!

Bardock: *smirks at the pair, before turning to glare at the readers* Well? I can see the future, what's YOUR excuse for not hitting the 'Next' Button?


	2. Chapter 2

Yo peeps, Kyugan here.

As stated, here's the first official chapter of Saiyan Muyo, my latest brainchild.

As many of you have surmized, Raditz is one of my favourite Saiyan characters, mainly because it always pissed me off that despite being Goku's brother, the guy only appeared in two or three episodes (Three, if you watched the remastered series, one in ocean dub).

As such, he is getting a better shot at life here, though admittedly, it's gonna be a long, bumpy road.

And no, you weren't messed up in the head, this WILL be a Raditz/Washu fic, just because I can, and because Saiyans ALWAYS seem to pick the weirdest wives.

Roshi: Ain't it the truth.

* * *

Chapter 1: No Need for a Forest Fire!

The planet Earth, a developing world with a sentient population of over several billion, not including the various other life forms which made up it's ecosystems.

Despite recent problems, the planet is still regarded as one of the most beautiful in the universe, with clear blue waters, lush forests, perfectly capable of supporting all manner of life.

It is on this small, developing world that our story begins, or more accurately, on one of the island nations that make up it's population, in a patch of woods not too far from Okayama.

* * *

_Masaki Family Forrest..._

Tenchi Masaki sighed, scooping up a pail of water from a nearby stream, smiling as he watched the little fish in the river scatter. It was the summer holidays, and his dad, figuring a change of pace would be nice, had suggested a camping trip to get them out of the house.

Or at least that's what the Breadwinner of the Masaki house said aloud, though it went without saying that what he REALLY wanted was to keep a certain group of freeloaders from venting their summer frustrations on the house AGAIN.

Not an inaccurate assumption, considering said Freeloaders consisted of a 5000 year old Space Pirate, her living spaceship, Two Princes from the Intergalactic Empire of Jurai, the self-proclaimed Greatest Scientific Mind in the Universe (who was also the aforementioned Space Pirate's mother) and a cute, but disaster prone blonde who happened to be a member of the GXP.

No, you didn't just wander into some weird, Space Harem Manga, though Tenchi could hardly blame anyone for thinking such thoughts. Not even a year ago, he'd been nothing more but your typical, Japanese schoolboy, just passing the summers away at his grandfather's shrine, wishing life could get a LITTLE more interesting.

Then he'd gone and broken the seal on the Masaki Shrine's 'demon', which turned out to be the infamous Space Pirate Ryoko, who was as deadly as she was easy on the eyes. After a rocky start, resulting in the fiery destruction of his Highschool and his lopping off her hand with a lightsaber that was, in fact, a family heirloom, Ryoko had snuck into his bed, demanding the return of her gems, embedded in the hilt of said weapon by the very ancestor that sealed her away.

It was around this time that Ayeka, the First Princess of Jurai, tracked the Pirate down, levelling half a city block with a 'warning shot' in the process. Ryoko, having received one gem, summoned her ship, Ryo-Ohki, and made a break for freedom, bringing Tenchi, and his miniaturized home and Father along for the ride, only for Ayeka to send her animated log guardians, Azaka and Kamidake, to capture them, bringing the pair on board her ship.

It was here that he met the acquaintance of Sasami, the cute, blue haired 2nd princess of Jurai, and Ayeka's younger sister. Promised his freedom in exchange for her sister's circlet, Tenchi snuck into the elder Princess' quarters, only to come off as some sort of rapist when he straddled her in an attempt to retrieve his ancestor's sword from her clutches.

Needless to say, Ayeka did NOT appreciate waking up to find a grunting teenager straddling her, and had summoned her guardians to 'deal' with him, or would have if Tenchi, lent wings by sheer terror, sprinted off at speeds the mechanized logs could little hope to match, even encumbered by the giggling Sasami held in his arms.

A quick reunion with Ryoko soon led to the two ships crash landing into the Seto Ohashi Bridge culminating in the Masaki family home being moved to the lake near his grandfather's shrine.

Of course the fun didn't stop THERE, no sir. Not long after, during what was SUPPOSED to be a relaxing trip to the onsen, a fight between Ryoko and Ayeka led to the former's demon familiar going berserk, only to be sucked into a hyperspace portal, a GXP ship falling through, depositing First Class detective Mihoshi Kuramitsu in Tenchi's lap. Though the blonde officer was well meaning and likeable, she certainly didn't cause as much trouble as the OTHER two adult females, this didn't change the fact that the simplest of chores became environmental hazards in her hands, as she seemed to be permanently pre-disposed to screwing up.

Mihoshi claimed to be on the tail of a notorious wanted felon, 'Ruins Buster' Kagato, the selfsame criminal that had used Ryoko as a puppet to attack Jurai. The criminal, ironically enough, thought it would be a nice surprise to visit his one time unwilling accomplice, intent on taking her AND Ayeka with him.

Tenchi, rightfully so, wasn't having ANY of that, and so had challenged the criminal, only to be knocked on his ass before Kagato's superior power. It was then than his Grandfather, Katsuhito Masaki, FINALLY got off his wrinkled arse and showed the boy how things were done, revealing himself to be none other than Yosho, Crown Prince of Jurai, the very same elder half-brother of Ayeka and Sasami, whom the elder Sister had been searching for to marry.

No, you didn't hear wrong. Apparently it's considered NORMAL for people to marry their siblings on Jurai, something which made Tenchi's budding feelings for Ayeka a LITTLE awkward, considering they were supposedly distantly related.

Putting aside the matter of intergalactic inbreeding for the moment, we return to the matter of Kagato, and Tenchi's valiant attempt to rescue Ryoko using Ryo-Ohki and the remains of Ayeka's Ship, the Ryu-oh.

Needless to say, the initial counter attack DIDN'T go as planned, with Tenchi almost dieing when the section of the ship he was in was destroyed, only surviving through the combined efforts of Azaka, Kamidake and Sasami's Tree Ship, the First Tree, Tsunami, who, after coaching him to rely on his own power, sent him back for round two with Kagato.

Despite a rocky start, as Tenchi was STILL relying on the power of his Master Key, the young prince eventually came to grips with his situation, unleashing his power in the form of Light Hawk Wings, transforming one into a sword that cleaved Kagato, and his ship, in two.

The reunion with the girls had been sweet, made slightly more confusing by the addition of one Washu Hakubi, Self Proclaimed Greatest Scientific Mind in the Universe, and apparently Ryoko's, for lack of a better word, mother, a green eyed redhead in the form of a young girl.

That had all been no more than a week ago, and slowly but surely things had started to return to normal at the Masaki house. Well, normal if you discounted the fact that Tenchi now lived in fear of being violated in all manner of kinky, scientific ways courtesy of Washu, the redhead scientist having claimed him as her newest 'Guinea Pig' for his ability to generate Light Hawk Wings, something that, till recently, was a unique trait of Juraian Royal Tree Ships.

* * *

_Token Exposition out of the way..._

Shaking his head to rid himself of some of the genius' more…descriptive, methods at 'sampling', the half-Juraian turned his attention back to the camp, where his hapless father was trying to impress the girls with his outback culinary skills, and failing dismally, as the fire beneath the hot-pot just refused to stay lit. Sasami, the blue-haired younger princess of Jurai, sat watching the bespectacled Masaki, giggling at the expressions he was making whilst stroking the fur of the equally curious Ryo-Ohki, the little Cabbit sitting on her lap.

Off to the side, Mihoshi was trying, and failing, to erect the tent the girls were to share for the night, only for the entire thing to collapse in a tangled mess around the wailing blonde, much to the exasperation of Ayeka and Washu, the former of whom began to berate the blonde, while the redhead simply shook her head in exasperation.

Washu had initially offered to create a portable domicile for them to camp out in, only to be shot down, empathetically, by Noboyuki, who claimed half the fun of camping was the experience of getting in touch with nature, blatantly ignoring the fact that Ayeka and Sasami, and by extension Tenchi, were about as 'in-tune' with nature as one could get without sprouting leaves.

A yelp from Noboyuki drew the group's attention, Tenchi's features shifting into an embarrassed smile as he espied his father's soot-blackened face, the man's removal of his glasses only serving to increase his humility, as the outline of the spectacles remained, much to the amusement of the others.

"Ten~chi!" a familiar voice crooned, the half-Juraian tensing as a by now familiar weight settled around his back and shoulders, as Ryoko Hakubi materialized behind him, enveloping him in a hug that pressed her chest against his back "Did you miss me?"

"Hey Ryoko," Tenchi greeted, the teen sighing in exasperation as Ayeka once again exploded at the overly amorous space pirate's advances towards his person "Did you get the firewood like I asked you to?"

"Now Tenchi," Ryoko moaned, putting on a mock-hurt expression as she rubbed her cheek against the teen's, even as Ayeka, who'd been stomping towards them, narrowly avoided a stack of kindling that dropped on her from the sky, courtesy of one of the Pirate's clones "Would I forget something like that?"

"Unhand Tenchi-sama you devil woman!" Ayeka huffed, the Crown Princess of Jurai looking distinctly un-amused with her narrow encounter with the kindling, her features lining with fury as Ryoko, as always, ignored her in favour of snuggling closer to the exasperated Tenchi.

"Why don't you make me, Princess?" Ryoko teased, smirking at her mocking use of the other girl's title, vanishing from around Tenchi's neck as Ayeka's miniature log guardians appeared around them, leaving Tenchi to sigh in exasperation as yet ANOTHER fight broke out between the two.

Now Tenchi wasn't stupid, he was QUITE aware that all the girls here had SOME form of attraction for him, he'd have to be completely Ass-Retarded not to. He also knew that he COULDN'T pick one over the other, on the simple matter that it would be outright SUICIDAL to do so, as the 'losers' would doubtless destroy the planet/his house/him in their fury, Light Hawk Wings be DAMNED.

"Alright you two that's enough." Washu declared, the redhead interposing herself between the combatants with a commanding air, a breast held in each hand, much to the stunned confusion and discomfort of the rivals "Honestly, if you're just going to be like this, we should've left you back at the house!"

"She started it…" Ryoko muttered, to which Ayeka vehemently denied such a thing, the two getting into a verbal argument that Washu, knowing better than to interrupt, simply sat back and watched, ready to intervene again should it come to blows, while Tenchi went to aid the distraught Mihoshi, who'd somehow managed to truss herself up like a turkey in the tent struts, a mental image that would stick with Tenchi for months to come.

* * *

_Dinner that evening..._

"That was good!" Sasami cheered, the little princess beaming up at Noboyuki as the group sat around the campfire, enjoying a simple meal of curry and rice as they watched the smoke from the campfire rise up to the stars.

"Glad you liked it, Sasami-chan!" Noboyuki offered with a smile, Tenchi's long suffering, mildly perverted father beaming at the little princess gratefully "I always felt that curry was best eaten around a camp fire."

"It certainly does possess a certain rustic charm." Washu mused, the redhead munching away at her own plate, whilst deflecting the stray rice grains sent her way courtesy of Ryoko, the space pirate proceeding to stuff herself as she sat on Washu's left, and the equally zealous Mihoshi on her right.

"REALLY Ryoko." Ayeka sighed, the princess spooning respectable mouthfuls into her mouth with polite decorum, "I know we're getting 'back to basics', but that DOESN'T mean you can forget what LITTLE manners you possess."

"Now, now…" Tenchi muttered, the teen seated, as always, between the two rivals to keep them from going for the other's throat, shooting a reprimanding look towards Ayeka, who lowered her gaze, ashamed, only to offer the same look to the grinning Ryoko "The same goes for you Ryoko, ease up on the throttle a little, the food's not going anywhere."

"Give it a couple hours." Noboyuki joked, earning a round of strained chuckles at the awful joke, the Masaki familly breadwinner sitting back with a sigh of contentment as he looked at the starry night-time sky above "Such a nice, quiet night…"

"Yeah," Tenchi agreed, the teen sitting back, following his father's gaze as they looked towards the heavens, marveling at the midnight tapestry spread above them "We haven't been out here in ages…not since mom…"

He trailed off, expression turning downcast at the memory of his mother, Kiyone Masaki, who'd passed away ten years prior.

"Kiyone loved hiking in these woods." Noboyuki noted, a wistful expression on his face as he recalled his lost love "We used to bring you out here every summer…" he grinned at his only son teasingly "Remember how we used to make smoke signals to contact aliens?"

"Oh boy…" Tenchi sweatdropped, the teen chuckling weakly at the embarassing childhood memory of his innocent past, Noboyuki going on to explain their other mishaps as the girls listened in rapt attention. 'I wonder…' he mused, a wry expression on his face as he stared up at the stars 'If I'd known then what I know now…would I have been so eager to make first contact?'

"And then there was the time we were skinny dipping in the river and he made the mistake of leaving his clothes in a poison Ivy bush…" Noboyuki recalled, grinning at his son's mortified expression as the girl's leaned in "Man was his face red, and not JUST his face if you know what I mean…!"

"BAKA!" Tenchi exclaimed, clapping both hands over his father's motor-mouth to silence the old fool, his features lighting up as the campsite was filled by the chuckles of the girls, even as Noboyuki began to turn blue from lack of oxygen.

"Hey look!" Sasami gasped, the younger Juraian princess' pink eyes widening in excitement as she stood up, everyone following her gaze as she pointed towards the heavens "A Shooting star!"

"Wow!" Mihoshi cheered, the blonde Galaxy Police Detective clapping her hands together excitedly, her dazzling baby blues filled with stars of their own as she gushed at the sight "Let's make a wish!"

'I know what I'D wish for…' Ryoko murmured, loosing a sultry chuckle that devolved into a fit of giggles as she envisioned her and Tenchi going at it in the latter's sleeping bag, right up until Ayeka smacked her upside the head for 'being lewd', which resulted in yet another free for all, the shooting star forgotten.

* * *

_Meanwhile..._

Inside a small, compact pod, a wounded figure gasped for breath, looking down at the small, blue planet beneath him as it drew ever closer through the small, airtight window on the hatch.

'Have to…warn them…' he muttered, his breath coming in ragged gulps through his air-mask, one eye closed, the other one blurry as the computer calculated his landing trajectory 'They…they won't…stand a chance…'

"Warning." The onboard computer called out, the occupant of the pod looking on as a red light flashed on the console before him "Engine failure imminent, re-evaluating landing calculations, please brace for impact."

'Wonderful…' the figure swore, grimacing as he strapped himself in, a difficult task considering he only had one working arm. His free hand gripping his armrest once the arduous task was completed, the injured space-farer closed his eye, bracing for impact as the viewing glass turned red-hot, idly praying that wherever he landed, it was at least on solid ground, even as his ship punched through the planet's atmosphere.

* * *

_At the campsite..._

Ryoko snickered, the wily Space Pirate phasing partially out of the ground as she eyed the tent Tenchi and Noboyuki were sharing, the elder Masaki's snores causing the waterproof fabric to rustle.

Despite Tenchi's anticipations, Ryoko, surprisingly, HADN'T tried to sneak into his bedroll when the time came for them to finally hit the sack, the Space Pirate instead heading off to the tent she was to share with Ayeka and Mihoshi, while Washu paired up with Sasami and Ryo-Ohki in the smallest tent.

Of course, Ayeka had been sceptical, and so had spent MOST of the night watching the space pirate like a hawk, her arms crossed and a determined scowl on her face that was offset by Mihoshi's snoring away on the other side of the tent without a care in the world.

Eventually though, the princess would doze off for a few seconds, only to snap back to alertness at the slightest noise, her eyes wide and bloodshot as she glared at Ryoko, but her hated rival never moved save to roll over in her sleeping bag.

Little did poor Ayeka know that Ryoko was actually wide awake, the cyan haired space pirate internally cackling as she watched the princess suffer a near mental breakdown trying to catch her out, wondering if she could possibly spice things up a bit, only for Ayeka to finally collapse, her snores decidedly LESS genteel than she acted.

Ryoko held off for almost an hour, making ESPECIALLY sure that Ayeka, or worse, Washu, weren't playing possum, before making her move.

Deciding not to take any RISKS, she left a clone behind in her bedroll, giving it strict mental orders NOT to do anything that might wake the girl, like doodling on her face, before phasing into the soft earth and tunnelling around the far side of the camp to check for any of Washu's annoying little early warning gizmos, having learned from experience with the redhead that it was wiser to waste time taking them out of commission before making her move, unless she wanted an early dip in the lake.

'She's a crafty one, I'll give her that much…' the pirate muttered, smirking as she crushed the last of her 'mother's' hidden sentries in her fist, before rising out of the ground, dressed in little more than her underwear, a feral smirk adorning her face as she padded silently towards Tenchi's tent.

'Just you wait Tenchi…' she promised, an eager smile on her face as she reached for the zipper sealing the entrance shut 'You, me, and the stars…' she giggled as decidedly NC-17 thoughts raced through her head 'it's gonna be one WILD Night-!"

A jolt of static from the zipper forced the amorous Space Pirate to back off, letting out a muted curse as she gripped her singed fingers, glaring as several familiar logs hovered before the entrance.

"I THOUGHT you'd try something like this." A haughty voice noted, Ryoko turning round to glare pointedly at Ayeka, the first princess of Jurai standing tall and proud in her jammies, despite her haggard appearance and bloodshot eyes "I won't allow you to lay one FINGER on Tenchi-sama you harlot."

"Oh like YOUR intentions are noble." Ryoko scoffed, sneering at the princess as the memories of her clone returned to her, explaining the princess' ruffled state "You can stuff the proper princess act, you're so ready to go you'd fondle the first thing that lay beside you."

"I AM NOT!" Ayeka countered, the first princess of Jurai looking scandalized at her rival's insinuation, though her atomic blush made her vehement denial seem all the more futile "HOW DARE YOU-!"

"SSSH!" Ryoko hissed, the cyan haired space pirate waving her hand, a finger pressed to her lips as she glared at the purple haired princess like she was an idiot "You want to wake everyone up with your screeching?"

"I am NOT shrieking!" Ayeka hissed back, though it was in an admittedly more hushed tone as she glared spitfire at her most hated rival "Now back away from Tenchi-sama's tent or there WILL be trouble!"

"Like to see you try and MAKE me." Ryoko countered, turning to face the princess head-on, her tone confident as she placed one hand on her hip, the other coyly beckoning the princess onwards with a crooked finger. Which one we'll leave to your imaginations.

Needless to say, Ayeka's hair trigger temper, which she'd doubtless inherited from her father, snapped at that point, the princess leaping towards the bemused space pirate who grabbed her hands, entwining their fingers as they faced off, faces inches apart.

An explosion rocked the forest, sending the two Rivals staggering to the ground, Ayeka on top of Ryoko, the duo blinking at one another in surprise. "IT WASN'T ME!" Ryoko exclaimed, the cyan haired woman holding up both hands to prove her innocence, Ayeka unable to do anything but nod in mute agreement, as SHE'D never seen Ryoko fire off a blast either, though considering it would've been point blank if she HAD, it was doubtful she'd have seen it coming either way.

"Ryoko? Ayeka?" a voice called out, the duo looking up to see Tenchi looking down at them, a look of embarrassed confusion on his features as he averted his eyes "Um…what are you…?"

Ayeka blinked, following the teen's gaze to find that, during the fall, she'd ended up straddling Ryoko in a MOST compromising position, one which wasn't helped by their current state, or LACK in Ryoko's case, of dress, nor by the fact her hands were on the Pirate's, as much as it burned her to admit it, larger breasts.

"Tenchi~!" Ryoko called out in mock distress, the wilty space pirate phasing out from beneath the princess, leaving her to sprawl awkwardly in the dirt while she hugged the mortified teen from behind "She…she was going to…!"

"SHE LIES!" Ayeka exclaimed, the indignant first princess of Jurai leaping to her feet and glaring at her most hated rival, who merely hammed it up by hiding behind the confused, flustered Tenchi, shooting the princess mocking looks between sobs.

"Alright, alright that's enough." A snide voice noted, the trio turning as Washu stepped past them in her sleeping attire, Ryoko letting out a yelp as her 'mother' slapped her on the ass, glaring at the redhead while a concerned Sasami lead a groggy, dishevelled looking Mihoshi along by the hand "We've got BIGGER problems on our hands."

Tenchi blinked, following the redhead's gaze to a dull red glow on the horizon. At first, he mistook it for a sunrise, only to blink as he realized the sun had SET in that direction the other day, his eyes widening he espied the smoke rising above the tree line.

"A forest fire…" Washu muttered, her holographic computer appearing before her as she frowned at the information "It's not too big yet, but it's spreading fast…at this rate the forest will be gone by morning."

"OH NO!" Mihoshi yelped, the blonde GXP officer's widening in alarm, literally jogging on the spot, her arms flailing wildly as she looked around the campsite in concern "What do we do? What do we do?"

"CALM DOWN." Washu ordered, tripping the blonde officer so that she landed on her rump, much to Mihoshi's distress "Ryoko," she ordered, turning to her daughter "Take Ryo-Ohki and beam up as much water from the lake as you can carry."

"On it." Ryoko muttered, her clothes phasing back into existence as she grabbed Ryo-Ohki off Sasami's head, tossing the Cabbit into the air, where she assumed her space-ship form, the two of them blasting off towards the Masaki lake at the bottom of the mountain.

"Ayeka," Washu called out, turning to the first princess with a frown "Set up a barrier around the worst of the blaze to keep it from spreading, just make sure you let any animals trapped inside out of the way."

"We will assist you Princess…" a mechanized voice declared, Azaka and Kamidake appearing alongside their princess, who nodded, donning her Jurai battle armour before heading off in the direction of the blaze.

"Tenchi-dono, you go with her." Washu instructed, nodding towards the unwilling heir to the Juraian throne "Use your sword to clear any debris that might allow the fire to spread."

Tenchi nodded, following on Ayeka's trail, the temperamental Master Key, otherwise known as the Tenchi-Ken, clutched tightly in his hands as he too donned his battle armour, racing after Ayeka and the guardians. "What about me Washu-san?" Mihoshi asked, the GXP officer pointing to herself curiously as she bent over the diminutive redhead, eager to lend a hand.

"YOU stay HERE." Washu ordered, a deadpan expression on her face as her hands blurred over the keypad "Last thing we need is you ACCIDENTALLY making the situation WORSE."

Sasami sighed, patting Mihoshi on the head as the blonde slumped, a bead of sweat adorning the younger princess' head at the image Washu's words wrought.

* * *

And we'll leave off there! Ain't I a stinker?

As stated, first Saga ties in with The Tree of Might movie, so similarities will abound.

Play: The Saga Continues!

DBZ announcer: Next Time on Saiyan Muyo! Tenchi and the girls tackle a forest fire that threatens to swallow the mountain whole, only to find that a more deadly threat lurks on the horizon!

What is this strange, pod like ship? What purpose does it's wounded occupant have that has brought them to earth? And is that a TAIL? Find out next time...on SAIYAN MUYO!

?: Tree...Killer...


	3. Chapter 3

Kyugan here again, bringing you the second official chapter of Saiyan Muyo.

For those of you who asked, Raditz and Tarble are a LOT stronger thaere in the original timeline, mainly because Turles' crew are assholes and Raditz's cocky attitude rubbed them the wrong way.

One of the reasons, in my opinion, that Raditz, and most Saiyans in general, are so cocky, is that they rarely, if ever, face opponents stronger than themselves, though admittedly, they get a thrill out of doing so. As such, Raditz, who in the original Timeline is a low-level warrior with a power level of only 1,200, would have probably only survived because he was off on a purging mission elsewhere, and once teaming up with Vegeta and Nappa, was basically the errand boy.

MY version is different for several reasons. One: First, and Foremost, his duty to Tarble has made him mature a LOT compared to his cocky, arrogant self. (Don't get me wrong, all saiyans are arrogant, but canon-Raditz, oy...). Second: Turles' crew, as mentioned, are assholes, and his getting beaten to within an inch of his life repeatedly, HAS to count for something.

As such, I place my Raditz's power level at around, oh, Say 30,000, which is Goku's base level when he was fighting Turles (without Kaioken). Tarble, lacking fighting instincts, whould probably be around 4000 or 5000, making him equal or greater than Nappa depending on the situation, but still no threat to Turles' goons (except maybe the twins).

And before people start raising a fuss about overpowered DBZ characters, need i remind you that Ryoko, even at one third her full power, is strong enough to take on the Chobimaru? Never mind Ayeka, who can go toe-to-toe with Ryoko on even footing (again, when at 1-third power). Tenchi, arguably, has the potential to be the strongest around (making him the equivalent of Gohan), but again, lacks the inner warrior to call on his powers at will (at least until the universe resets later ^_^)

Then again, 'Overpowered' and 'DBZ' kind of go hand in hand if you think about it.

Hercule: Seriously, Ah mean, whatever happened ta good ol'fashioned martial arts that didn't result in 'blowing up half tha damn planet?

Kyugan: Quiet you.

Announcer: Last time on Saiyan Muyo! Tenchi and the girls, on the insistance of Noboyuki, go on a camping trip in order to get in touch with nature...a little TOO in touch in Ryoko's case.

Unfortunately, their time of relaxation was cut short, when a forest fire erupted around them! Can Tenchi and co save the forest, before it becomes another wasteland?

* * *

Chapter 2: No need for a Saiyan!

"HA!" Ayeka called out, the princess thrusting out her palm, sending a suppressed wave of Jurai energy into the air, forcing out the flames, while Azaka and Kamidake kept the fire from spreading FURTHER than it already had, a difficult task, since there were only TWO of them.

Off to the side, Tenchi was using the Tenchi-Ken to lop off any branches or bushes that had caught ablaze, minimizing the rate of spreading in his own fashion, whilst clearing a path for anything that might be trapped in the woods.

"Tenchi-sama!" Kamidake called out, the red Jurai guardian log appearing behind Yosho's heir-apparent just in time to catch a falling tree, keeping it from crushing the startled quarter-juraian teen "Are you alright, Tenchi-sama?"

"Thanks for the assist," Tenchi sighed, the teen having not heard the tree falling over the roar of the flames, looking on as the guardian shrugged the tree off with minimal effort "This isn't going so well is it?"

"I fear not." Azaka concurred, the blue guardian appearing alongside Ayeka as the purple haired crown princess rushed to check on her beloved "At this rate, despite our efforts, the fire will still spread."

"Damn…" Tenchi muttered, the quarter-juraian heir apparent's brows furrowing in distaste as he eyed the raging inferno around them "Much as I hate to suggest this…I think we need to clear the forest a little, cut the blaze off."

"Regrettable," Azaka agreed, the blue jurai guardian inclining himself in agreement, even as Ayeka looked distraught "however it IS a valid solution, if we keep the fire from spreading, the rest of the forest can survive."

"Let's get to it then!" Tenchi ordered, stashing away the Tenchi-ken in favour of relying on his armour's enhanced physical strength, ramming a nearby tree with his shoulder, uprooting it so that it fell AWAY from the fire.

"Kamidake! Assist Tenchi-sama!" Ayeka ordered, waving a hand imperiously towards her beloved, the red guardian inclining itself in her direction in agreement, before hurrying after Yosho's heir apparent "Azaka! To me!"

"Yes, princess." The blue guardian acknowledged, his shields coming to bear, protecting his charge from the worst of the heat while she used her Jurai power to force the flames back, leaving it up to Tenchi to ensure that the flames were cut off from the rest of the forest.

'Oh, this is how it should be!' Ayeka sighed, lost in her fantasies once again 'Tenchi-sama and I, facing our problems side-by-side, needing no-one but ourselves-!'

Her thoughts were cut off as a torrent of water drenched her from head to foot, the princess blinking, too stunned to say anything, or even sputter incoherently, as she slowly looked up towards the night sky, where the spiked shadow of Ryo-Ohki's space ship form was visible against the moon, the battleship spraying a veritable flood of water onto the blaze, yowling as she did so.

"Ryoko…" Ayeka muttered, venom and irritation lining her normally gentle tone as she held one clenched fist up to her face "Ooh that woman…" she uttered, tears of frustration welling up in her eyes "she did that on PURPOSE!"

"Did what on purpose?" Ryoko's voice asked, the space Pirate phasing into existence with a smug smirk on her face "Wow Ayeka," she noted, "I always knew you were wet behind the ears, but this takes the cake."

"Why you-!" Ayeka snapped, the purple haired crown princess of Jurai rounding on her mosted hated rival, summoning electricity to her hands, only to yelp as it sparked out due to her presently soaked state.

"Easy with the sparks there princess…" Ryoko teased, the pirate's tone mocking as she twitched her finger from side to side "We, that is Ryo-Ohki and I, just put this fire out." She turned on her heel, waving at the fuming princess over her shoulder "Don't need you starting ANOTHER one right off the bat, no do we?"

"I LOATHE you…" Ayeka muttered, glaring pointedly at the space pirate, who ignored her in favour of prancing off in the general direction of Tenchi and Kamidake, only to join her rival in a face plant when they espied Ryo-Ohki had beaten them to the quick, once again.

* * *

_Back at Camp..._

"Well now." Washu chuckled, the redheaded genius lowering her umbrella, having used it to fend off the worst of the downpour that Ryoko had dumped over the entire forest "Looks like that did it."

"I'm wet~!" Mihoshi wailed, the poor detective looking positively drenched, having lacked Washu's foresight in relation to her daughter's actions. Sasami, who'd been pulled under the redhead's umbrella in the nick of time, held out a towel for the poor woman with an embarrassed expression on her face.

"Washu…" Tenchi called in, the quarter juraian teen's face appearing on the redhead's screen, looking mildly embarrassed as Ryoko rubbed cheeks with him "Fire's out on our end too…no signs of spreading."

"Good work," Washu offered, satisfied with a job well done, though she REALLY wished Ryoko would try a little something called 'tact' once in a while. Oh it was refreshing to see her little girl had inherited her healthy libido, and Tenchi WAS the cutest little thing when he struggled, but she'd never make any headway if she kept up with the full-on frontal attacks like that.

"It's a shame though…" Tenchi sighed, pushing Ryoko aside, not entire unwilling, but needing to speak clearly "This forest has been around longer than the shrine…I'd hate to think part of it was lost because of a stupid mistake."

"Not a problem!" Washu assured him, bringing up a schematic of Ryu-oh, Ayeka's ship seedling's, greenhouse "I can get it back to the way it was in a couple of days!" she frowned suddenly "However, I WOULD like to know what started it in the first place."

"Maybe some other campers didn't put out their fire right?" Tenchi opined, the teen looking both confused and concerned all at once, while Ryoko and Ayeka bickered in the background, as always.

"Possible, but unlikely." Washu countered, the redhead shaking her head, holding up a finger for emphasis "Believe it or not Tenchi, this entire mountain is Masaki family property, as such, trespassing is illegal."

"You're KIDDING!" Tenchi exclaimed, eyes bulging at the fact that his family literally owned a mountain. He knew that the shrine, and the land it was built on, belonged to his family for generations, even before Yosho came along, but this was the first he'd heard of exactly HOW much land they owned.

"Besides." Washu continued, catching a screenshot of Tenchi's befuddled, adorable expression for her scrapbook "I set up perimeter sensors around the entire forest, other than the ones Ryoko destroyed earlier." She smirked as her daughter flinched at being caught out 'You'll need to get up earlier than THAT sweetie' she chuckled, before turning serious once more "They picked up something crashing into the forest not far from your position."

"Ah!" Mihoshi exclaimed, the Kuramitsu family's indestructible daughter's baby blues widening in sudden realization as she tapped her palm with her fist "I know! That shooting star from last night!"

"Bingo." Washu grinned, nodding her head at the woman's deductive skills, proving once again that, despite her klutziness and moments of stupidity, Mihoshi hadn't received the title of Detective First class for nothing "though it's not a star Or a meteor, my scanners picked up engine trails from an outdated inter-stellar drive."

"So some space clunker finally broke down in OUR neck of the woods?" Ryoko muttered, the Space Pirate looking exasperated at this all-too-frequent turn of events "Seriously, why's shit like this always happen to us?"

'Is she REALLY the person to be asking that?' Was the general consensus of all parties, save for Tenchi, who was silently praying that whoever was in the downed ship was neither a: Female, b: Horny, or c: Violent, if any survived at all.

'Knowing my luck…' the heir apparent of Jurai muttered, slumping in defeat as tears streaked comically down his face as Washu ordered them to meet up at the crash site 'It's probably all three and their grandmothers…'

* * *

_Dawn...a crater on the edge of the forest..._

"That is one BIG ASS crater…" Ryoko muttered, the space pirate letting out an appreciative whistle as the ragtag group stood at the edge, peering down at the crash site "Whatever came down came down HARD."

"I don't see any ship…" Tenchi wondered, the teenage heir apparent to the throne of jurai looking around the admittedly impressive crater in confusion and growing concern "You don't think…it was destroyed in the crash do you?"

"No…" Washu countered, her fingers blurring over her keyboard "I'm picking up faint signals from the bottom of the crater…" she frowned as a wire-frame image of a strange, spherical ship appeared "there's something down there…an escape pod most likely, going by size alone."

"Any survivors?" Tenchi wondered, the teen looking to the redhead in concern. Apprehensions from prior experiences aside, Tenchi simply couldn't bring himself to wish that the answer was NO, though he released a guilty sigh as Washu began to shake her head.

"Wait…" the redhead froze, her brows narrowing as she peered at her screen, only to smile offhandedly "I stand corrected!" she noted, fingers blurring as a faint heat signature became visible "We got a survivor down there!"

"Well then let's go say hello!" Ryoko insisted, grinning as she leapt down the side of the crater, heedless of Tenchi's calls to wait, sliding to halt before a large, spherical pod half buried in the dirt. "Huh…" she muttered, looking the miniature pod over "well I'll be…how'd a clunker like THIS make it this far?"

"It does look rather…vintage…doesn't it?" Ayeka seconded, the elder princess touching down alongside the others courtesy of Azaka and Kamidake, eyeing the diminuitive pod with an addmitedly apprehensive flinch.

"It's a piece of crap is what it is." Ryoko muttered, fists on her hips as she kicked the side of the pod with a snort of disgust "Seriously, whoever's stuck in here should have his head examined for getting into it!"

"Ryoko!" Tenchi chided, the quarter juraian teen eyeing the cyan haired space pirate with a frown gentle disapproval "Take it easy," he insisted "there's someone injured in there, remember?"

"Sorry…" Ryoko offered, looking abashed at being told off, sending a smug Ayeka a warning glare, only to blink as part of the hull detached from the rest with a mechanized his, the gang tensing, Sasami ducking behind Mihoshi, who in turn ducked behind a not-amused-at-all Washu, as they waited for the occupant to reveal themselves.

A gloved, bloody hand appeared, gripping the edge of the hatch, the group looking on in wonderment as a small figure, around Sasami's height, clambered out of the pod, one arm hanging limp at his side, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

'A child?' Tenchi wondered, his heart clenching as he gaped at the little figure, only to blink as he noticed the defined, for his age, muscles beneath the blue bodysuit, which made his own slight build seem all the less impressive.

A beeping sound drew his attention to the youth's face, blinking in surprise as he noticed a strange red eyepiece, behind which lay a half-shut dark eye that stared at them all as if in a dream, the other closed and covered with dried blood.

"It can't be…" Ayeka stammered, the purple haired crown princess backing away at the sight, her hands clapping over her mouth as she gaped at the wounded youth in horror "Not one of them…not here!"

"Ayeka?" Tenchi wondered, turning to blink at the elder princess of Jurai in confusion, only to startle as the youth took a hazardous step forward, his working hand releasing his grip on the door as he reached for the group, almost pleadingly, before missing his step and collapsing on the ground before them. "Hey!" he exclaimed, eyes widening in concern as he stepped forward, Sasami and Mihoshi covering their mouths in horror at the sight "Hang on!"

"Tenchi-sama NO!" Ayeka exclaimed, the elder princess suddenly interposing herself between her brother's grandson and the bloodstained youth, her hands against his chest "Stay away from that monster!"

"Monster?" Tenchi blinked, the guater-juraiain teen looking between the purple-haired princess and the wounded youth in understandable confusion "What are you talking about, Ayeka? He's just a child…"

"That's no CHILD." Ayeka insisted, turning to glare over her shoulder at the still form on the rocks behind her "That thing's an abomination, something that should have been wiped off the face of the universe YEARS ago."

"Ayeka?" Tenchi blinked, looking down at the princess in amazement. He'd NEVER seen such a venomous look on her face before, even when she and Ryoko went at it like crazy. It was as if that one, wounded child embodied everything she despised in the world.

"Huh, so that's what the problem is…" Ryoko muttered, the cyan haired space pirate crouching down next to the lad, a neutral expression on her face "So the kid's one of THEM is he? Small universe I guess."

"Them?" Tenchi repeated, the now thuroughly confused teen looking between the two most ardent of his would-be suitors with growing irritation "Okay, could someone PLEASE tell me what the heck is going on?"

"He's a Saiyan, Tenchi-dono." Washu supplied dutifully, Tenchi, along with a confused Sasami and Mihoshi, turning to the redhead as she typed away "A member of one of the fiercest warrior races in the galaxy."

* * *

_With Tenchi..._

"Warrior Race?" Tenchi repeated, the trio blinking at Washu in confusion, while Ayeka, who'd been glaring at the youth this entire time, hissed at Ryoko to keep her from poking the unconcious Saiyan with a stick.

"I'll explain." Washu supplied, bringing up a diagram "Saiyans hail from the planet Vegeta-sei, or what used to be known as Planet Plant." She brought up an image of a large, ruby-coloured planet with two sets of rings, making it look like an atom.

"Saiyans are physically larger than your average human." Washu noted, bringing up an image, which depicted several muscular men and women in fur garments and savage expressions "Their bone structure and muscle density is much stronger as well," she continued, gesturing to a diagram which compared Tenchi to one of the smaller females, which easily dwarfed the teen "and for good reason too. You see the gravity on their planet is around TEN TIMES that of Earth's, which is one of the secrets to their power."

The scene changed, showing a recording of two Saiyans fighting one another, while the rest of the group looked on and cheered.

"Saiyans are all born with an innate desire for combat." Washu explained "They can't help it, it's in their blood. The only time a Saiyan DOESN'T want to fight is when they're eating, sleeping…" her features turned teasing as a…different kind of spar, began to play before them "or MATING."

"WASHU!" Tenchi swore, covering Sasami's impressionable eyes before she could see the damning images, while poor Mihoshi just blushed and averted her eyes "what does that have to do with Ayeka calling them monsters?"

"You got me." Washu shrugged, the redhead's laptop disappearing as she placed a hand on her hip, the other raised in confusion "The last time I studied the Saiyans was before I left the science academy, when I used their data as the basis for my design for Ryoko." She nodded towards her daughter, who blinked in shock "It's certainly strange, the Saiyans didn't have any space-faring capabilities or synthetic clothing at that point. Hell they were pretty much cavemen."

"That was over 2000 years ago, 'Mom'." Ryoko muttered, shaking her head in exasperation as she continued to crouch over the wounded youth "Some time after Kagato put you on ice, the Saiyans teamed up with the Arcosians, who gave them technology in return for clearing out planets for them."

"The Planet Trade…" Washu muttered bitterly, the redhead shaking her head with a sigh of disgust while Tenchi blinked in confusion "What it means Lord Tenchi, is that the Saiyans were hired to wipe out the resident population of a planet, in order to sell it off to the highest bidder."

"I heard of them!" Mihoshi exclaimed, bringing out her inter-dimensional cube and twiddling with it, bringing up an image from a GXP file "It was originally a black-market pirate business, but was later merged into a recognized, if illegal trade, by the Cold Dynasty."

"The Cold Dynasty is one of the few forces that can directly oppose the combined might of Jurai and the GXP." Washu explained for Tenchi's benefit "It's also the LARGEST interstellar Criminal Empire in history."

"Even Kagato knew better than to dick around in Cold Territory." Ryoko muttered, shivering slightly as some of the darker memories from her tenure as the 'Ruin Buster's' pawn rose to the surface "Those bastards are BRUTAL; any one of them can wipe out a planet if the fancy strikes them."

"Which is EXACTLY why we cannot allow this Saiyan time to recuperate!" Ayeka insisted, her battle armour forming once again as she stepped forwards, hands glowing with power "We need to finish it off while it's defenceless!"

"Ayeka no!" Tenchi exclaimed, the quarter-Juraian teen interposing himself between the startled princess and her intended target, his eyes wide with alarm as he stared her down "We can't do that!"

"Tenchi-sama!" Ayeka countered, the crown princess looking shocked at his interference, whilst simultaneously trying to find a way to get round him without resorting to violence "What are you doing? Weren't you listening earlier?"

"But he's just a CHILD Ayeka." Tenchi insisted, the quarter juraiain teen looking pleadingly into the purple-haired princess' eyes "Even if he IS one of these Saiyans, he hasn't done anything wrong…"

"YET." Ayeka insisted, the purple haired crown princess trying to make her beloved see reason as she tried to step past him, turning to glare at Ryoko, who watching from the side "Don't just stand there, make yourself useful!"

"Not me." Ryoko countered, the space pirate crossing her arms beneath her breasts "Tenchi wants to save him, so I'll help." She smiled offhandedly, eyeing the downed youth "Besides…it wasn't so long ago I was in the same boat this kid was."

* * *

_In the Crater..._

"Ryoko…" Tenchi murmured, the quarter-juraian teen's eyes softening as he eyed the cyan haired space pirate, who smiled sadly at him in return, Ayeka's anger vanishing in the face of her rival's unusually soft expression.

"But…that was DIFFERENT." The normally volatile princess insisted, looking rather shocked with herself as she defended Ryoko's past misdeeds "I mean…Kagato was just using you like a puppet…"

"I was still AWARE of everything he made me do…" Ryoko muttered, one arm coming up to grip her elbow as she shuddered "It's the same for the Saiyans." She added after a moment of silence "It's not like anyone working for King Cold could just say 'No'."

"True that…" Washu agreed, her expression solemn "Last I checked, the Cold Dynasty's leader was a cruel, heartless monster…I doubt any of his offspring over the past two millennia were any different."

"You'd be right about that." Ryoko snorted, before placing her hands on her hips and tapping her foot impatiently "Now, are we gonna get this kid some help, or are we just gonna flap our gums all day?"

"That's my girl…" Washu snorted, shaking her head as she walked past the others and knelt alongside the wounded Saiyan youth, her inter-dimensional laptop reappearing as she scanned his vitals "We're in luck, he's been beaten up pretty badly, but his ship's Life-Support managed to keep him relatively stable." She snorted "Typical of a Saiyan, the amount of damage they can take is simply extraordinary."

"Tell me about it." Ryoko muttered, a ghost of a smile forming on her face as she eyed the comatose youth "I bumped into a few on missions for Kagato, always surprised me how quickly they'd get back up after a beating."

"Well this one certainly looks like he's been through the wringer…" Washu noted with a pitying expression on her features, even as a solid-light hovering stretcher appeared in mid-air beside her "Get him onto that, it'll put him in stasis until I can get him back to my lab."

"Right…" Ryoko nodded, bending down and scooping the unconscious Saiyan up by the back of his armour, frowning as she reached up and removed his eye piece "Whoops, might wanna get rid of this…" she muttered, scowling at the device as she went to crush it in her fist "don't need his buddies coming for him."

"Hmm, intriguing…" Washu muttered, Ryoko blinking at the redhead, who was suddenly holding the youth's device, looking it over with interest "It seems to be a combination of an interstellar communications device and an energy detector…"

"They use it to gauge an opponent's fighting level and track their targets." Ayeka muttered, recalling her lessons on the matter with less than fond memories "The little savage's fellows could be listening in on every word we're saying!"

"Relax!" Washu assured her, gesturing to her laptop screen "I monitor all transmissions coming and going from earth, just in case there's anything about 'US' involved." She held up the device "Besides, this things offline, must have been damaged in the crash."

"Or by whatever gave him those wounds." Ryoko muttered, her arms crossed before her as she stepped back from placing the teen on the stretcher "Seriously, I've FOUGHT Saiyans, whatever did this to the kid, it WASN'T something pleasant."

"Poor little guy…" Sasami murmured, the younger princess stepping forward to look down at the injured youth in concern, only to gasp as one gloved hand lashe out and seized her shoulder in a tight grip.

"Sasami!" Ayeka exclaimed, stepping forward to free her younger sibling from the Saiyan's sneak attack, only to blink as Tenchi held out his arm to bar her, looking on in confused concern as the Saiyan opened his mouth.

"Danger…" the youth choked, his lips flecked with dried blood as he opened one bloodshot eye to glance unseeingly up at the confused Sasami, whose features were slowly recovering their color from her fright "Coming…danger…warn…"

"What is it?" Sasami wondered, the younger princess' fear giving way to concern as she gripped the injured youth's hand in her own, peering into his eye as he struggled to breath "What danger? What's coming?"

"The Tree…" the Saiyan whispered, choking on what appeared to be dried blood as his grip on her shoulder weakened, his whole body semeing to tremble from the strain of talking "the others…coming…stop them…"

"Tree?" Sasami repeated, the princess' pink eyes widening in concern, and a bit of apprehension, as she looked down at the youth, wondering if the Saiyans had learned that there were several Royal trees here on earth "What Tree? What others?"

"Danger…" the young Saiyan whispered, his grip on Sasami's shoulder weakening by the second, his sole visible eye slowly closing as his raspy voice finally faded into silence from exhaustion "Tree...killer…"

"Oh no!" Sasami exclaimed, the little princess looking on in alarm as the youth slumped, gripping his gloved hand tightly with both of her own as tears fell freely from her her eyes "Please, hang on! Don't die!"

"Easy Sasami…" Washu assured the girl, the redhead genius placing a hand on her shoulder "I just activated the stasis hold on the stretcher," she revealed, pointing to her laptop screen for emphasis "if he talked anymore he might have passed away before I could get him to my lab."

"Thank goodness…" Tenchi sighed, the quarter-Jiuraian teen releasing the breath he hadn't known he'd been holding as he placed a hand on Sasami's shoulder as the little girl wiped tears from her eyes "C'mon then, let's get him out of here."

"You heard the man Ryo-Ohki!" Washu ordered, the little Cabbit nodding, leaping into the air and re-assuming her space ship persona, beaming the little party up and racing off towards the Masaki family home with a yowl.

As Ryo-Ohki raced towards the Masaki house, carrying with it the injured Saiyan youth, a series of metal rods suddenly erupted from the damaged hull of the Saiyan's pod, just above the engines.

* * *

And we'll leave off there for now.

So Tarble comes in contact with the Tenchi crew first. Makes sense when you think of it, as Raditz would've attacked the first person he saw, rather than warn them of his fellows coming.

Tarble will play the role of messenger, which King Kai provided for the movie, since Kaio-sama hasn't got any reason to be looking in the direction of THIS earth, nor does he have any reason to speak telepathically to them. Remember, King Kai ISN'T omnipotent, well learned and wise yes, but he had no clue if there were Namekians on Namek after the incedent that wiped them out, which leads me to belive that, while he can sense things happening, unless he's paying attention, he won't notice it.

Here goes nothing eh?

Announcer: Next Time, on Saiyan Muyo! Tenchi and the others learn a little more about their new guest, a litte MORE than they bargained for in some cases.

Ryoko: You based me off WHAT?

In the meantime, a strange device stalks the crash site, what is it's purpose? How did it get here? And WHO sent it? All these questions, and more, will be answered next time, on Saiyan Muyo!

Tarble: I don't want to have to hurt you...but if you give me no choice…"


	4. Chapter 4

And so the plot continues, and Tenchi get's a better look at the less bodacious side of Visitors from space (Holds up Celipa poster) Not that Saiyan's can't be hot mind you.

Bardock: That's my wife Teme...

Kyugan: So? Your wife's hot, take pride in it.

* * *

Chapter 3: No need for a Guinea Pig!

"There we go!" Washu hummed, smiling as she watched the tank containing the now naked Saiyan youth fill with light green liquid "This tank is filled with synthetic Saiyan DNA, it'll boost his recovery speed tremendously, without any undesirable side effects."

"Are you…SURE he'll be alright in there?" Tenchi wondered flinching slightly as the youth was submerged, only the breathing apparatus around his mouth and nose keeping him from drowning.

"Who's the Galaxy's greatest genius here?" Washu demanded, looking affronted that the teen would question her methods, despite, or perhaps BECAUSE of, his previous experiences with them "The DNA will enter through his pores, merging with his existing tissue, searching out anything that might be bothering the little tyke and setting it right again."

"If you say so." Tenchi murmured, idly watching alongside Sasami and a curious Mihoshi as the Saiyan youth's hair rose tranquilly in the green water, his pained features slipping into a relaxed slumber as the anaesthesia finally kicked in.

"Saiyans are truly amazing." Washu marvelled, her fingers blurring over her keypad as she eyed the data coming off the teen "They're immune system is almost as tough as Ryoko's, they hardly ever get sick, and once the reach their physical prime, they age at a rate that even Jurai medical science would find amazing."

"I seriously DOUBT that." Ayeka sniffed, the elder princess looking a little affronted at the mere suggestion that a pack of behind-the-times monkeys could surpass Jurai in ANYTHING.

"Oh but it's true." Washu insisted, a coy smirk on her lips "Despite the fact the average Saiyan lifespan is short, since the average age to die in battle is around their thirties, those that SURVIVE past their thirties tend to KEEP surviving. I think the record was something over 300 years, but he didn't look a day over thirty despite no life-prolonging treatments. He might have lasted longer if he hadn't been offed by his offspring."

"His own son killed him?" Tenchi stammered, the quarter-juraian prince looking at the redheaded scientist in alarm while Sasami and Mihoshi flinched at the concept.

"Or daughter." "Washu pointed out "Saiyan society is BRUTAL, Tenchi-dono." She offered, noting the teen's distressed expression "Brutal and PRIMITIVE by most standards, sometimes the only way for a Saiyan to claim their inheritance was to kill their sire." She held up a finger "Though I remind you my data on them is over 2000 years out of date."

"You're not that far off…" Ryoko muttered, her tone low, her feature unreadable as she leant back against one of the massive tubes that intersected Washu's lab "They used to send their 'weaker' kids off to 'less dangerous' planets in pods." The Pirate explained "Not to protect them," she elaborated "but so they could conquer them, then return when they'd grown a little." She grimaced "I ran into a few of the little ankle bitters on jobs with Kagato…vicious little bastards…"

"Must've been a full moon." Washu noted, the redhead smirking at Ryoko's look of confusion "Saiyans youths are naturally rambunctious and feral, but for one to give YOU trouble it must've been close to a full moon."

"I don't get it…" Tenchi muttered, the teen looking at the mother-daughter pair in confusion "What's so special about a full moon? They werewolves or something?"

"Were-APES actually." Washu corrected, cutting off Tenchi's attempt at humour by bringing up yet ANOTHER view screen "It was a rare occurrence on their home world, since their moon's orbit made it so it was only ever full once every ten years, but whenever a Saiyan gazes upon the light of a full moon, they undergo a DEVASTATING metamorphosis."

Tenchi blinked, looking on in shock as the already intimidating men and women in the recording suddenly got decidedly MORE so, their canines lengthening, their already impressive muscles enlarging, literally bursting out of their clothes as they exploded upwards, hair replacing itself with thick, dark fur as the newly formed giant apes roared defiance.

"In this form, the Saiyans lose all cognitive ability, but gain a TREMENDOUS boost in power and destructive capability." Washu instructed, taking in the looks of alarm on the groups faces as one of the apes loosed a mighty blast of energy from it's mouth that effectively nuked the mountain in front of it "Makes them mighty ornery too."

"So I see…" Tenchi muttered weakly, the teen making a mental note to make sure the kid in the tank was either locked indoors or off world during the next full moon.

"In any case," Washu chirped, the redhead cutting the video off before turning back to face the group with a smile "I'm starving! Let's get some breakfast in here!"

"I'll do it!" Sasami offered, the younger of the two princesses waving a hand in the air, before beaming down at Ryo-Ohki on her shoulder "Ryo-chan! Come help?"

"Such a good little girl she is." Washu noted approvingly, the redhead watching the pair scamper off in the direction of the kitchen with a sigh "So unlike mine…"

"Stuff it 'MOM'." Ryoko muttered, the cyan haired space pirate flipping the redhead the space bird with a scowl, earning a bemused sigh from her creator/mother.

"Such an uncouth child." Washu sighed, earning a snicker from Ayeka, which drew Ryoko's ire to the princess, the redhead moving to break up the fight before they damaged anything, only to notice Tenchi holding his chin "Something bothering you, Tenchi-Dono?"

"It's nothing…" Tenchi assured her, smiling at the redhead for her concern, only to frown, a confused expression on his face as he furrowed his brows once more "I just…can't shake this weird, nagging feeling that we've forgotten something…"

* * *

_Back at the crash site..._

The Saiyans pod twitched as the mechanical rods sticking out of the hull bent, several of them embedding themselves in the earth, while the rest braced themselves against the damaged pod HEAVED, the rend in the hull widening with the sound of rending metal as a smaller, spherical object pulled itself out of the wreckage, staggering away from the ruined pod on spidery legs, only to right itself before it fell to the ground.

Scuttling away from the damaged pod on its mechanical legs, the little mechanical sphere extended several antenna of varying lengths into the air, a small, mechanical eye like device appearing out of it's body, swirling around in it's socket as it took in it's surroundings with detached interest, sending the images it recorded back to it's masters, bouncing them off existing local transmissions to disguise them from any scans that might be in place.

Clambering out of the crater, having discerned that there was nothing worth recording there, the mechanical sentry promptly scuttled into the nearby forest, taking note of the damaged, scorched woodland around it, factoring it as the result of it's landing and thus discarding the information as 'useless' in favour of moving towards the numerous signs of life it could detect on the perimeter.

It paused upon stumbling across what appeared to be what had appeared to be an empty clearing, only to find it occupied by several primitive domiciles, all but one of which were unoccupied.

Unable to compute the strange, unidentifiable sounds coming from within the strange, vibrating orange shape before it, the drone's simplistic CPU was about to investigate, courtesy of a probe, only to decide against it, opting instead to scuttle back into the foliage like a crab, rather than risk being destroyed before it completed its mission.

Unaware of his near-encounter with the less bodacious side of outer space, a half-naked Noboyuki Masaki crawled out of his tent, standing up straight and stretching out his arms with a jaw-popping yawn.

"That was a good night's sleep…" he exclaimed, pulling his glasses on after wiping them down to remove any dirt "Tenchi! Girls! Rise and shine sleepyheads!" he called out, only to blink in confusion at the lack of response.

"Tenchi?" he called out again, bending down to peer inside the tent he'd shared with his son, only to find it empty "Ryoko? Sasami-chan?" he called out, looking around the deserted camp, scratching his head in confusion "Did I miss something?"

The cawing of a crow overhead was his only response.

* * *

_Masaki House, Washu's Lab..._

"Mmm!" Washu sighed, the redheaded genius stretching languidly as she stepped through the closet door and back into her lab, "Nothing like one of Sasami's breakfasts and a hot bath to get the day started!"

Not that today's bath had been entirely without problems she recalled, snorting as she recalled the knots and bites the other girls had found as they'd washed up from the previous night's excursion into the wild.

"Honestly," the redhead muttered, recalling Ayeka's shrieks of distress at finding ant-bites running up her precious arms and legs "camping in the woods in something as redundant as a tent…the things I let Tenchi-dono talk me into."

Tenchi, after several hours of pondering, had finally recalled that they'd left his father up in the woods, and had gone rushing off with Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki to bring the Masaki breadwinner home, Ayeka being too busy rubbing ointment on her bites to notice, while Mihoshi watched soaps on the TV without a care in the world.

'So laid back…' the redheaded genius mused, shaking her head as she resumed her seat on her floating cushion, her next-dimensional laptop appearing before her even as the space around her shifted from the standard 'garden room' to the darker examination areas which Tenchi, and occasionally Ryoko, were intimately familiar with.

"Hey there." She greeted, smiling up at the tank that contained the Saiyan youth, noting with approval that the worst of his wounds were already healing nicely "Resilient little fellow aren't you? Considering that outdated clunker you landed in, you're lucky to be alive."

She frowned suddenly, her emerald eyes narrowing as she looked from the Saiyan slumbering in the liquid DNA, to the data coming from the tank as it healed him.

"Still…" she muttered, tapping her upper lip with her finger as she held her chin "What bothers me is your wounds themselves…I didn't say anything to Tenchi-sama or the others, but it's CLEAR you didn't get those injuries from the crash."

She grimaced, looking over the information from the tank with a grim expression as it flowed up the screen before her. Broken bones, torn ligaments, ruptured lungs, a dislocated retina, a concussion, muscular bruising and several missing teeth were but a few, there was also traces of energy burns, not to mention countless other ailments.

'Whatever the hell put the poor kid in this condition,' the redhead muttered, looking up from her screen to eye the youth with concerned admiration 'must've been one HELL of a fight. I wouldn't be surprised if he was out for a week-!'

She trailed off as the Saiyan youth's eyelids twitched, her emerald eyes widening in astonishment as a pair of black eyes opened, twitching slightly on contact with the green water of the tank. Blinking the pain aside, she watched as the Saiyan slowly took in his surroundings with a dazed expression, only to widen in alarm as he realized he was in a tank.

"Whoa there!" Washu urged, snapping out of her surprise as the Saiyan's energy level began to rise at an alarming rate, a few keystrokes from her laptop allowing her to broadcast her voice into the tank through speakers "Easy there little guy," she assured him, her voice as soothing and unthreatening as she could make it "I'm not gonna hurt you…" she smiled in a way that would've put Tenchi, or anyone that knew her really, on edge "That is, unless you give me a reason to."

The Saiyan blinked, only to calm down, looking around the lab through the view screen, his hands pressing against the hatch of the pod, eyes wide with understandable confusion.

"Surprised to be still among the living are we?" Washu asked, smiling ruefully as the Saiyan turned to look at her through the water "Well you almost didn't make it, for one reason or other, you Saiyans aren't exactly the most popular faces out there."

The Saiyan's features showed nothing but saddened understanding, offering a small shrug of his shoulders that was DISTINCTLY un-Saiyan behaviour, as if he'd heard it all before.

"Hell if it weren't for Tenchi-dono and my own curiosity, Ayeka probably would have blasted you to little pieces." She smiled up at the youth teasingly "And what a waste THAT would've been!"

The Saiyan sweat dropped, looking on nervously as the redhead cackled, clearly wondering just what kind of madhouse he'd stumbled onto.

"Looks like you're just about ready to come out…" Washu noted, looking over the information coming off the screen with intrigued approval "Have to admit, you Saiyans have really changed over the past 2000 years…I wasn't expecting to wake up for at least another day."

She smiled, and the Saiyan youth suddenly felt a shiver race up and down his spine, from the top of his head to the tip of his tail, at the sight.

"Which means…" Washu chuckled ominously, her features shadowed as she turned to leer at the highly intimidated Saiyan "We can skip right to the 'Examination' part of the treatment!"

* * *

_With Tenchi..._

"Something wrong Tenchi?" Ryoko asked, looking up as Tenchi paused in his attempts to mollify his father, who hadn't taken too kindly to being forgotten.

"Just a little cold…" Tenchi assured her, smiling over his shoulder reassuringly as Ryoko guided Ryo-Ohki back to the house, suppressing the shiver that ran up his spine as he once again tried to get his father to stop pouting.

He didn't know why, but for some reason, he could've sworn he'd heard Washu's ominous laughter not two seconds ago, only to brush such thoughts aside as he was beamed down to the walkway of the house.

* * *

_Space, Lunar Orbit..._

In the darkness of space, a strange vessel, similar to the space pods used by the Saiyans, only infinitely larger, loomed ever close to the small blue planet known as earth, it's luminous hull cloaked from the sensors of any scanning devices that might be in effect, something that many who ventured to the planet took for granted.

After all, from an invader's point of view, what was the point of shielding your ship from the primitive scanning arrays of a backwater civilization that couldn't even send a manned flight to the closest planet of their own solar system?

Said invaders soon learned the HARD way that investing in shielding would have been in their best interests, as primitive backwater planet or not, it was under constant monitoring by the Galaxy police AND the Jurai Intelligence network, who took any, even partial threats, to the livelihood of the royal family members located on the planet VERY seriously.

As it was, shielded from prying eyes, the ship moved unimpeded past the earth's small moon, the blue planet reflected in the opaque glass of its central view screen, before which a shadowy group huddled in anticipation.

* * *

_Masaki House..._

"Welcome back!" Sasami greeted, the little princess sticking her head out of the kitchen as the group entered the house, Mihoshi looking up from her soaps to greet them "I've got lunch cooking as we speak!"

"Sounds great!" Tenchi grinned, turning to his father, who perked up at the prospect of a nice, hot meal ignoring Ryoko, who'd joined the blonde officer on the couch in favour of looking around "Where are Ayeka and Washu?"

"Nee-chan's still in the bath…" Sasami admitted, an apologetic, long suffering smile on her face as she sweat dropped, "she said she's not coming out till the bites die down, but I'm sure she'll be down in time for lunch."

"I'll eat her share if she isn't." Ryoko offered, waving a hand without turning to look at the girl, only to cackle as the 'Straight Guy' flipped out over his 'Idiot' partner's antics.

"Ryoko…" Tenchi muttered, shooting the pirate a disapproving glare, which was naturally ignored, not noticing his dad shuffle inconspicuously out of view like a perverted crab "And Washu?"

"Where else?" Sasami asked, the little princess beaming at the teen as she tilted her head towards the door under the stairs "She's been in her lab since breakfast finished."

Tenchi shivered, eyeing the dread portal with understandable nervousness. Normally the teen was quite content to let the redheaded genius wile the hours away in her lab, provided of course she wasn't wiling them away by running experiments on his person.

However, NORMALLY the redhead didn't have an alien from a near-extinct warrior race to play with, and judging from what little he'd managed to glean of Washu's personality, it was clear that their little guest was in for a rough stay. "I'll…just go get her then…" he muttered, knowing from experience that sending Mihoshi in could result in an environmental disaster.

"I'll come with." Ryoko offered, the cyan haired space pirate vanishing from the couch and reappearing alongside the nervous teen "I can't let you go in there alone, Tenchi…"

Tenchi sighed, internally grateful for Ryoko's presence, Washu was less likely to try anything funny if there were witnesses, though he did wish the amorous pirate would keep her hands to herself as they entered the dread portal, stepping into the darkened, tube filled lab that was the source of more than a few uncomfortable memories.

"Great…" Ryoko muttered, shuddering as she eyed the massive columns of pipes and tubing with understandable concern "She's in 'Research' mode…kid's probably been dissected by now…"

"Ryoko…" Tenchi muttered, eyeing the former space pirate disapprovingly, even as he shuddered at the mental image she'd summoned up "She's not THAT bad…"

He trailed off as lightning cracked around the corner, Washu's enlarged shadow cackling madly as she held what looked like a scalpel and a fork in either hand.

"You were saying?" Ryoko murmured, smiling coyly down at Tenchi, who in his terror had glomped her, his face plastered between her breasts, not that she minded.

Realizing his error with a flush, Tenchi struggled to extract himself, a task made decidedly more difficult given Ryoko's desire to keep him in place, the two of them proceeding round the corner, only to blink at the sight before them.

"Ah! Tenchi-dono!" Washu greeted, the redhead dressed in her infamous nurses uniform as she corked a bottle containing what Tenchi prayed to GOD wasn't what he thought it was "And Ryoko-chan too! What brings you here?"

"Can it mom." Ryoko muttered, shuddering slightly at the sight of the HUGE ass needle resting nearby, with signs of being recently used "We're here to make sure you don't dissect the kid."

"Dissect him?" Washu muttered, looking highly affronted "The VERY idea! What could I possibly gain from a dissection that I couldn't gain through a medical scan?"

"Where is the little runt anyway?" Ryoko demanded, looking around the lab suspiciously, noting the busted healing tank and several shattered restraints "Don't tell me he got loose?"

"I…might have jumped the gun a little…" Washu admitted, sticking her tongue out with a sheepish grin "Still, how was I to know he'd react so strongly to being a little teasing?"

"ANYONE would freak if you asked them to be your Guinea Pig." Ryoko muttered, crossing her arms beneath her breasts in exasperation "Seriously, bad enough you keep trying weird ass crap on me and Tenchi…"

"Was it from THIS mouth that such cruel words were spoken?" Washu demanded, the redhead suddenly assuming her adult form, which filled out the nurse's outfit rather well, as she stretched Ryoko's cheeks out, much to the pirate's displeasure.

Deciding to leave the mother and daughter to their argument, Tenchi instead turned his attention to the damaged sector of the lab, noting with interest that the healing tank had been destroyed from the inside, and that the restraints, which he recognized as the ones used whenever Washu was experimenting on him or Ryoko, had been shattered with apparent ease.

'Just how strong is this guy?' the quarter Juraian wondered, stepping down the darkened corridor with a hint of nervousness, the Tenchi-ken in hand, just in case. Child or not, he wasn't about to take any chances. After all, Washu ran around in child form a lot, and look what SHE could do.

His attempts at repressing the horrible, horrible memories were thankfully interrupted when a small but muscular arm lashed out of the darkness, a hand wrapping around his mouth, dragging him out of sight even as another grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back, causing him to drop the Tenchi-ken.

"Be quiet." A low, raspy voice whispered "I don't want to have to hurt you, but if you give me no choice…"

* * *

Just cause it wouldn't be Tenchi if he wasn't taken hostage at some point.

And so we see how the universe views the saiyans, and a prequel to Tenchi's newest threat.

And Yes, Tarble's still naked, and no, nothing is going to rub against anything, you sick freaks.

Review for more.


	5. Chapter 5

Whew, things are moving along nicely now!

Tarble: I don't consider nearly being experimented on 'Nicely'

Tenchi: I don't consider being taken hostage by naked men particularly nice either.

Kyugan: Guys, chillax, you KNOW my stance on the 'Y' word.

Ryoko: YAOI? *blinks as a scream echoes, followed by a random corpse falling from the sky* the F-?

Kyugan: I've set it up a ward so that everytime the word is mentioned, a Bishie dies.

Ryoko: You bastard...*approving*

* * *

Chapter 4: No Need for a Sacred Tree!

Wandering unopposed through the woods, the little mechanical drone continued to beam information back to it's masters, bouncing the relays off the local, primitive transmissions in order to bypass the ludicrously tight scanning array that had been placed over this otherwise primitive, backwater world.

Stepping out of the forests for a moment, it paused as it detected a notably high energy reading coming from ahead, though unlike the earlier power level, this one didn't seem to be mobile, or intimidating in the slightest.

Deciding to investigate, the drone scuttled forwards, happening across a small lake, in the centre of which stood a massive tree, wrapped in ropes, with strange paper talismans hanging from it's branches.

Detecting the source of the strange energy coming from the tree, the drone opted to take a closer look, perhaps even receive a sample of the fauna to scan for it's masters, only to pause as rays of light shone from the branches, bouncing off the water as if to ward it off.

"Well now…" an aged voice noted, the drone's eye rotating to the rear, where it espied an old man in strange robes standing where nothing had been before "You aren't from around here, are you?"

Had the drone been programmed to speak, it might have offered a witty retort to the old man's rhetoric query, lacking such faculties, it opted instead to try and scuttle past the human, extending one of it's limbs, which developed a sharp, spear-like attachment as it drew closer.

"Not the hand-shaking type I take it then." The old man noted, sighing to himself as he watched the drone scuttle towards him, his hands coming out from behind his back, a wooden sword clutched in his right "Not like THAT'S anything new around here."

The drone leapt forwards, it's spear like appendage aimed for the old man's face, only for him to sidestep, it's eye turning to follow his progress, only to freeze as the lens cracked, it's CPU sending out one last, alarmed signal, before it fell into several different pieces on the ground.

"Really now…" the old man muttered, tapping his wooden sword against his shoulder with a look of bored exasperation "Can't we go one week without something popping up?"

* * *

_Washu's Lab..._

"Be quiet." A voice whispered, Tenchi's eyes widening as he realized it was the voice of the Saiyan youth, which didn't exactly put him at ease, given the ghastly image Ayeka and Washu had painted of his race not hours prior. "I don't want to have to hurt you," the youth continued, his tone laced with a hint of regret that surprised the quarter-Juraian teen, even as he felt the muscles in the youth's hand tighten "but if you give me no choice…"

Tenchi nodded, going limp as he did so to show he understood, though on the inside, a part of him was kicking himself for allowing a kid the same height as Sasami to get the drop on him. It was a good thing his grandfather wasn't here to see it, he had no doubt the old codger would take a sadistic pleasure in 'correcting' the oversight in his heir's training.

"I'm going to uncover your mouth…" the Saiyan informed the teen, his tone low, so as not to draw any attention to his hiding place "You are not to shout when I do so."

Tenchi nodded his head once more to show he understood, taking a deep, grateful lungful of air as the hand was removed, though the muscular arm attached to it quickly wrapped around his neck. "Now then," the Saiyan youth uttered, his tone calm and without malice, but still decidedly down to business and suspicious "who are you?"

"T-Tenchi Masaki." The quarter Juraian stammered, keeping his voice low, internally hoping that this guy hadn't been sent here to make his life hell for some inane reason.

* * *

On the other side of the universe, Emperor Azusa Masaki Jurai sneezed, accepting the tissue offered by his first wife gratefully.

* * *

"Very well then, Masaki-san." The Saiyan uttered, his tone sounding strangely apologetic, considering the picture Ayeka and Washu had painted of him "Could you tell me where I am? What planet this is?"

"Earth." Tenchi responded, the teen wincing from the pain in his captured wrist, which thankfully alleviated slightly as the Saiyan sensed his discomfort, though not enough that'd he'd attempt breaking free from his captor "Planet Earth."

"The third planet of the solar system?" the Saiyan demanded, his tone insistent, only to release a pent up sigh of relief at Tenchi's energetic nod "Thank the stars…" he breathed "how long have I been out?"

"Less than a day." Washu's voice interrupted, the duo looking up to find the redhead, in child form once again, standing before them with her hands on her hips, a confident smirk on her face that could inspire a mountain to tip-toe around her.

"Washu…chan." Tenchi stammered, hurriedly adding on the suffix as the redhead's eyebrow twitched, even as the Saiyan youth turned so that the quarter-Juraian teen was between him and the aforementioned redhead "Where's Ryoko?"

"Oh, she's just getting a check-up…" Wash assured him, even as Ryoko's screams sounded round the corner, the pirate trying to crawl away, only to be dragged back out of sight by several robotic tendrils "In any case, good job finding my new guinea pig, Tenchi-dono!"

"Washu-chan…" Tenchi sighed, shaking his head in exasperation, flinching slightly as the Saiyan's grip on his wrist tightened with understandable fear "He's NOT a guinea pig…he's a guest, remember?"

"Aw…Tenchi-dono…" Washu pouted, looking up at the heir apparent of the Jurai empire like a child denied a treat "I wasn't going to do anything TOO serious…Nothing he wouldn't SURRVIVE anyway…"

"The answer is NO Washu." Tenchi muttered, deciding to be firm, knowing that when he REALLY put his foot down, the girls listened, no matter WHAT the situation.

Though it STILL didn't stop the nervous butterflies in his stomach as Washu frowned at him, her emerald eyes boring into his brown ones, only to close as she beamed at him. "Alright!" the redhead agreed, her nurses uniform shifting to her usual khaki shorts and black polo shirt as she turned on her heel "I got enough data to examine for today anyways."

"In that case LET ME DOWN FROM HERE" Ryoko snarled, Tenchi and the Saiyan looking up, only for their eyes to bulge out of their sockets at the sight of the space pirate, her clothes torn in numerous places, fending off Washu's probing mechanical appendages like a woman possessed, the duo quickly averting their eyes from the scene above, blood trailing from their nostrils, much to Washu's amusement.

* * *

_Several minutes later..._

"Here you go." Sasami offered, the younger of the two princesses placing a mug of steaming green tea and a plate of crackers before the Saiyan youth, offering a reassuring smile as she stepped back.

"T-Thank you." The Saiyan offered, bowing his head shyly towards the younger princess, looking mildly out of place. The youth was currently dressed in some of Tenchi's old clothes, a pair of jeans and polo shirt to be exact, with a hole cut in the pants to accommodate his tail, which was wrapped around his waist like a fuzzy belt. (Think Sena's outfit before leaving for the GXP)

"So then…" Tenchi began, sitting down across from the Saiyan, Ryoko and Ayeka taking their places on either side of their love interest, the eldern princess shooting the nervous youth a heated glare "Tarble-kun, was it?"

"Ah! Yes," Tarble stammered, the Saiyan youth turning to face the elder teen as he spoke, offering a polite bow that actually earned a look of surprise from Ryoko and Ayeka alike "Sorry for the trouble I caused, Masaki-san."

"No problem at all." Tenchi assured the youth, ignoring the slight remaining sting in his wrist, though he was used to being gripped a lot HARDER "If anything WE should be apologizing. You must've seen some rough things…"

"I told you I hadn't gotten to the good stuff yet." Washu muttered defensively, only to grin and hold up both hands as Tenchi eyed her with a deadpan expression. "In any case," She continued "You're remarkably well mannered, Tarble-kun."

"For a Saiyan that is…" Ayeka muttered, the princess turning her head to the side with a hint of disgust, earning a disapproving glance from Tenchi, causing her to lower her head in shame, much to Ryoko's glee.

"Y-yes well…" Tarble muttered, the youth looking mildly embarrassed as he lowered his eyes to the table "I'm…not exactly a typical Saiyan." He admitted "Truth be told my family…" he rubbed the back of his neck while smiling in embarrassment "Well, in your language, I'd be considered the 'Runt of the Litter'."

"You and Ayeka have a lot in common then." Ryoko quipped, grinning ferally in response to Ayeka's death glare, Tenchi sighing, grateful that he was between the two to keep them from lunging at one another.

"That aside," the quarter-juraian spoke up, pushing the two rivals for his heart and pants apart gently, eyeing them to calm down, before looking into Tarble's eyes "Would you mind telling us what you're doing here?"

Tarble flinched, looking down into his mug of tea with a pained expression that drew looks of concern even from Ayeka. "I…came here to warn you…" he admitted, his hands gripping the steaming mug of tea tightly between his fingers "There's something…terrible…coming your way…"

'Why am I not surprised?' Tenchi moaned, resisting the urge to plant his face between his palms and weep at the unfairness of it all 'First Ryoko shows up, then Ayeka blasts the bejeezus out of the house, then Mihoshi and Kagato and now this…'

"Something terrible you say?" Washu queried, the redheaded scientist deciding to up the interrogation, as Tenchi was too busy mentally slamming his face into the coffee table, "Would you care to elaborate on that?"

"While travelling in space, my comrades and I found something that we probably shouldn't have." Tarble explained, his voice low "Something that could grant us the power needed to break free of the shackles of the Cold Dynasty…"

"So your part of the Planet Trade?" Tenchi wondered, the teen feeling a chill form at the base of his spine, even as Ayeka and Ryoko tensed on either side of him, a suddenly alert Mihoshi reaching for her blaster, her blue eyes locked on Tarble's form.

"Sort of." Tarble admitted, looking so ashamed at the admission it gave the girls an incentive to pause "Our job was to gather information on the numerous solar systems for Lord Cooler's Armoured Corps. If we found a planet he particularly wanted…"

He trailed off, though it didn't take a genius to figure out exactly what was implied, as even Mihoshi seemed to be following the conversation without problems.

"Admittedly, our approach was more...democratic...than the traditional methods." Tarble allotted, his tone rising slightly as he pressed onwards "We'd offer the locals the chance to sign up peacefully, if they refused…"

"I see…" Tenchi spoke up after a moment of heavy silence, cutting off the youth's look of discomfort, as it was clear that Tarble wasn't enjoying this walk down memory lane "You were saying something about a power?"

"Y-yes..." Tarble stammered, looking startled as he snapped out of his memories, his features hardening "We landed on a planet within an unexplored sector of space, not far from the neutral sector that separates the Cold Dynasty from Jurai space." He flinched as Ayeka sat up straighter, the princess looking alarmed at the notion of Saiyans so close to her home "We found something there…an old legend of a tree whose fruit could raise a person's power level to those of a god…"

The sound of breaking china startled the group, who turned as one to gape at Sasami, who was standing in the kitchen door, her hands clasped over her mouth in terror. "Sasami-chan!" Tenchi exclaimed, looking on in concern as Ayeka rushed to her sibling's aid, checking the younger princess over for injuries "What's wrong?"

"It can't be…" Sasami exclaimed, her normally gentle, cheerful cherry blossom eyes wide as she stared at the confused Tarble in alarm, her features turning a ghastly shade of pale "You can't have found…"

"What are you talking about, Sasami-chan?" Tenchi wondered, hs features lined with confusion, noting with alarm that the girl's Jurai markings, the ones which linked her to Tsunami, seemed to be glowing.

"The Shinseijuu…" Sasami whispered, earning a look of alarm from Ayeka, who clapped a hand over her mouth in shock, while Washu's emerald eyes narrowed in darl recognition "The Tree of Might…"

"Sasami-chan?" Tenchi repeated, blinking at the little girl in confusion, only to stand up in alarm as she fell to the side 'SASAMI-CHAN!"

* * *

_In Space..._

"Quite the nice little planet," a large, muscular man with braided brown hair noted, a hint of amusement in his guttural tone as he stared up at the rapidly approaching image of the blue planet on their viewscreen "wouldn't you agree, Daiz?"

"Little small for my tastes, Amond." A shorter, green haired man countered, standing alongside the larger man, a condescending sneer on his face as he glanced up at the third planet of the Sol System "Wouldn't you agree, Cacao?"

"Da." A mechanized voice uttered, the speaker a cybernetic alien with a face that was the colour of silly putty, and had the appearance of magma, his silver armour glistening in the light coming off the planet.

"Pitiful or not, check out the readings we're getting." Amond pointed out, his features shifting into a smirk as he read the data coming at them from their drone "The conditions are perfect for Turles-sama's needs."

"Never mind that." Another voice cut in, the group turning, as one, as the door to the command centre opened, another armoured figure standing in doorway, his outline framed by a wild, spiky mane that ran down his back "Is there any sign of Prince Tarble?"

Amond scowled, his features hardening, as did those of his companions, as he glared at the newcomer, only to calm himself, barely, smirking at the newcomer as he pointed to the screen "See for yourself Raditz," he urged, "The Bra-PRINCE'S pod DEFINITELY landed there…" he corrected himself miod-insult at Raditz's scowl "though it looks like it had quite the rough landing..."

"I'm not surprised." Another voice noted, Raditz stepping aside to make room for Turles, the elder Saiyan stepping forwards, a white cloak concealing his armour from view "What DOES surprise me is the fact he made it to a habitable world in one piece, considering the state of his pod…" he snorted "Perhaps I was too hasty when I had the technician who sent him out in such a faulty jalopy killed."

"He endangered the Prince's life." Raditz countered with a growl, his arms crossed before him his eyes leaving his uncle's features to glare at the image of the blue planet "You finished him off too QUICKLY in my opinion."

"Perhaps…" Turles acknowledged, a hint of bemusement in his tone as he stepped forwards to gaze up at the blue planet "Still, perhaps it was all a blessing in disguise, as if the pod hadn't malfunctioned, the Prince wouldn't have led us to this world."

* * *

_Raditz's POV..._

Raditz scowled at his uncle, not liking the way the elder Saiyan casually brushed aside the Prince's near-encounter death for his own goals, but holding his silence. Occasional lax in memory aside, Turles was deferential to the prince in almost every way, save the command of the ship, which only made sense, as it WAS his.

Ever since Vegetasei's destruction, Turles had inducted Raditz into his crew, disguising Prince Tarble as his 'nephew's brat', in order to protect the young prince from the clutches of Frieza, or worse, the tyrant's elder brother Cooler, who it turned out, Turles' master.

'We traded one Tyrant for another…' Raditz muttered, grimacing at the memory of his servitude beneath Frieza's goons. The only difference under Cooler was that Cooler didn't hide his disdain for Saiyans, though he acknowledged their strength as an 'asset' to his endeavours to expand his influence in the Planet Trade.

It had been slow going, but Turles had slowly worked his way up the chain of command until Cooler, who unlike his brother, saw the benefit in giving praise where it was due, prejudices be damned, bequeathed the Saiyan with a ship of his own to command, giving him standing orders to the vast reaches of space, in order to expand the elder Cold sibling's fiefdom, though truth be told he just wanted to keep the 'damned dirty apes' out of sight and mind.

This, naturally, was more than alright with Raditz, who would've accepted a lifetime of suicide missions if it meant he never had to think about the elder Cold sibling again. Ironically enough, MOST of the missions he'd completed for Cooler had been INTENDED as Suicide missions.

The only thing Raditz considered REMOTELY advantageous during his tenure with Cooler's troops was the fact that his power level had skyrocketed as a result of the near constant combat he was forced to endure. He didn't have an accurate reading on himself, since he rarely needed to power up fully, and loathed setting foot in the sterile medical chambers if he could avoid it, but Bardock's son was confident he was, at the very least, ten times stronger than he'd been prior to Vegetasei's destruction, which was quite an improvement over the measly 1,200 power level he'd possessed prior.

Keeping to the shadows of his Uncle, the Saiyan guardsman subtly lifted a hand to his scouter, only to scowl as the device once again failed to make a connection with the Prince's own, something which did NOT bode well to Raditz's state of mind, as the only times a Scouter couldn't detect or transmit to one of it's fellows was if the machine was destroyed or being blocked somehow.

'And considering the technological level of this backwater world,' Raditz muttered, the spiky haired guardsman glaring suspiciously up at the image of the blue planet on-screen 'I sincerely doubt it's the latter.'

* * *

_Normal POV..._

"Having trouble patching through?" Turles asked, the elder Saiyan's bemused voice snapping his nephew out of his thoughts "Don't look so surprised," he offered, nodding his head towards the screen "despite being a developing world, our scanners are picking up an IMPRESSIVE, to say the least, jamming array over the planet."

"That's impossible." Raditz countered, the younger Saiyan scowling at being caught in the act as he turned to look at his father's brother "A backwater place like THIS has something that can block OUR scouter transmissions?"

"Not exactly." Turles countered, nodding to Amond, the big warrior nodding his scarred chin as he brought up the readings "Looks like those lapdogs at the GXP have been monitoring this sector rather closely."

"The hell does a backwater dirt ball like THIS warrant the GXP getting involved?" Raditz muttered, looking up at the blue planet with a frown as he recognized the pattern of a GXP communication's blockade.

This wasn't the first time they'd bumped into the Galaxy Police's presence on a target world, hell some of their fiercest space battles had been because a fleet had been deployed to 'arrest' them for their 'crimes'. Such a shame that, technologically advanced or not, it didn't change the fact that the average GXP officer could be literally ripped apart by even a Low-level Saiyan.

"Not just GXP." Cacao opined, the alien cyborg's mechanized voice butchering the Common Galactic Language, as he brought up additional information on the viewscreen "Jurai ship signatures detected as well."

"Well now…" Turles mused, quirking a brow as the schematics for several registered Juraian ships appeared onscreen "Not exactly in keeping with their own edicts, are they?" his smile turned sinister as he eyed the registration details for the ships in question "Not only that, but it seems we have ROYALTY on the planet too…"

"Jurai? Here?" Raditz repeated, his hair bristling at the mere mention of the word. Just as Juraians detested the very existence of Saiyans, Saiyans found Juraians to be just as, if not MORE disgusting. Not for their weakness, as the average Jurai citizen could actually put up a decent fight against low-level Saiyans, nor for their reliance on their 'tree ships', since Saiyans were not above using weapons in a fight as well.

No, what disgusted Saiyans was the fact that, on the Jurai, incest, something that most other races considered an affront, was not only LEGAL, but widely practiced within the leading hierarchy of Jurai.

Planet killing, mass genocidal, power hungry maniacs they might be, but at least the Saiyans didn't stoop to playing 'tail tag' with their littermates to keep the line going.

"This is both fortuitous…and a problem…" Turles muttered, one hand coming out from beneath his cloak to stroke his chin "On the one hand, the possibility of having a hostage, and a member of the nobility at that, to use against Jurai is tempting…but on the other hand, it puts our errant prince in a most…DANGEROUS position."

"What are you talking about?" Raditz demanded, the guardsman's onyx eyes narrowing as he stood straighter at the mention of a possible threat to his prince, missing the mocking, KNOWING smirks from the rest of the crew.

"Well, Juraians aren't too fond of us, as you can probably imagine." Turles reminded his nephew, still stroking his chin "And I do believe the GXP has standing orders to kill or detain any Saiyans they encounter on sight."

"Not on my watch!" Raditz snarled, the guardsman smashing a massive fist into the nearest wall, before turning on his heel and marching off in the direction of the hangar "Amond! Get your ass in gear and ready the landing pods!"

"As you command," Amond offered, the big man's tone laced with false servility as he watched the younger Saiyan march off, turning to Turles as the door hissed closed behind him, a dark smirk adorning his scarred features "As you predicted, Turles-sama."

"Yes," Turles noted, dropping his hand from his mouth, revealing the mocking smirk plastered across his features "Do go with my nephew would you?" he asked offhandedly "I'd hate for him to find our beloved Prince…suffered."

"As you command, Turles-sama." The group intoned, bowing as one before heading off towards the hangar, where the space pods lay waiting, leaving Turles on the bridge to his own, twisted thoughts.

* * *

Things are starting to heat up again.

Tenchi: SERIOUSLY! Why always earth?

Raditz: You're asking me? I'm an invader and 'I' don't see the value in this place; The Gravity's too weak, the beer's piss...

Mihoshi: *Walks past them obliviously* Ryoko-san! Did you see where I put my swimsuit?

Tenchi::...I think I know why they come here now.

Raditz: Indeed *Yelps as someone pinches his tail* WHO THE-!

Washu: *Adult form in a bikini* See something you like?

Kyugan: Eesh, there is NO way that fabrics gonna hold.

_Narrator: Next time, on Saiyan Muyo!_

_Tarble warns the group of the oncoming threat,_

Tenchi: Tree of What?

_However, as they speak, Turles' men are making their way towards the planet!_

Amond: The Little prince's sacrifice will NOT be in vain.

_They bring with them the seeds of disaster..._

Turles: At this rate, it won't be long before the fruit Ripens...

_Can Tenchi and the girls save the world from this threat?_

_Find out next time, on Saiyan Muyo!_


	6. Chapter 6

Things are looking bad for our heroes folks!

Ryoko: Tell me about it...I'm all outta sake!

Tenchi: Ryoko, we're at the beach...try to tone it down.

Raditz: *Offscreen* Dammit woman! Get that away from me!

Washu: Look monkey butt, not that I'm not enjoying the view or anything, but there's little kids out there.

Raditz: I refuse to wear that...that...glorified handkerchief! Besides, what's the point in wearing your underwear in the water? It's crazy!

Washu: It's decency...*Sighs* whatever, do what you want *Stalks on screen, adult form*

Kyugan: *wearing sunglasses* Trouble?

Washu: Big baby wont wear the swimsuit i got for him...

Ryoko: *Quirks a brow knowingkly* Spandex speedo?

Washu: *Grinning like a shark* With tassles.

Tenchi: Ugh...like I needed that image.

*Off screen, Raditz lets out a Saiyan war cry, before running into the ocean with a spear held over his head*

Little girl: Mommee! Lookit the naked man!

Mother: I'm looking dear...I'm looking.

Tenchi: *turning green while Ayeka tries to cover Sasami's eyes, far too late* I take it back...

Kyugan: *Watching Raditz toss sharks out of the water like salmon* Why the hell do you think I'm wearing blind man glasses?

* * *

Chapter 5: No Need for an Invasion!

Raditz growled as he sat within the lead pod, his arms crossed and foot tapping as he urged the damned machine to fly faster, well prepared to risk the locals learning of his arrival if it meant he could get to his prince's one second side faster. "Atmosphere breached…" the onboard computer called out, in it's annoyingly grating faux-female voice "Planetary impact in T-minus ten seconds."

"About damn time…" Daiz muttered over the scouters, the green-haired warrior hated being cramped inside pods more than anyone, except maybe Amond "Sooner I'm planet-side the better."

"Da." Cacao agreed over the speakers, the alien cyborg's mechanized voice grating on Raditz's last nerve, the burly Saiyan shutting off his Scouter's open-air switch, not wanting to listen to Turles' flunkies any more than he had to.

From the get go, Turles' crew had made it clear they hadn't thought much of the Saiyan's nephew or prince, a fact that grated on Raditz's nerves to no end. Not that he minded their mockery of HIM, hell he knew he was the weakest of the crew when he'd gotten out of the tank, but he would not stand for any mockery of the prince, which the others were quite happy to do when Turles' back was turned.

Naturally, the Saiyan warrior had tried putting them in their place, but the fact was that at the time, they out-muscled him in more ways then one, hell even Raisin and Rakasei could overpower him, and taking on Amond was like smashing your face against a wall, something the big bruiser took joy in helping the Saiyan with, repeatedly.

Still, all the beatings an humiliation had SOME merit, as they enabled Raditz to get stronger faster, something that Turles' goons had rather forgotten about in their zeal to use their captain's nephew as their new punching bag.

It had been slow going at first, but eventually, Raditz power level began to rise after each and every session in the healing tank, until it took all five of Turles' grunts to beat him into submission. Factoring in the training he had with Turles, and the countless 'suicide' missions Cooler sent them on, and it wasn't long until Raditz was fighting the group of thugs off without breaking a sweat, something that put Amond, who used to be second only to Turles, in a decidedly bad mood.

Grunting as his pod crashed into the planet, idly wondering if the Juraians or the GXP had picked them up on their scanners and were already en route, Bardock's son popped the hatch, clambering out into the light of day, scowling in disappointment at the empty terrain.

"Raditz." Daiz spoke up, the Saiyan turning to find the shorter warrior standing alongside Cacao and Amond, thumbing over his shoulder as he spoke "The scouter's indicate the Prince's pod touched down not to far from here."

"Good work." Raditz applauded gruffly, reaching up and tapping his own scouter, scowling as the information appeared on screen "Let's get a move on."

* * *

_Masaki residence..._

"The Tree of what?" Tenchi wondered, the quarter Juraian looking on in concern as Sasami, who'd collapsed after the shocking revelation, was scooped into the arms of her concerned elder sibling "What on Earth is that?"

"Not earth, Tenchi-dono." Washu countered, the redhead's tone serious as she watched Mihoshi help Ayeka place Sasami on the couch, the blonde dashing off to get a cold compress to place on the girl's brow "The Shinseijuu, otherwise known as the Tree of Might, is an ancient, powerful organism that predates even the sacred trees of Jurai."

"What's the big deal about that?" Ryoko demanded, the cyan haired space pirate hovering in mid-air, her arms crossed and a frown on her face as she eyed the unconscious form of Sasami with hidden concern "Yosho's tree isn't from around here either, but nobody makes a fuss about that."

"That's because Funaho, like any other Tree Ship that takes route in the soil of another world, has lost most, if not ALL of it's powers as a Royal Tree." Washu reminded her daughter waving a finger for emphasis "The Shinseijuu, however, is different, in that it grows STRONGER after being planted in foreign soil."

"Again, still not seeing the problem here." Ryoko pointed out, sitting cross-legged in mid-air, tail lashing lazily from side to side as she spoke "I mean, so there's a Saiyan out there with a green thumb, big deal!"

"How'd I raise such an idiot?" Washu sighed, ignoring the angry look she received from Ryoko, whop loudly proiclaimed she HADN'T, even as she shook her head "The problem isn't the TREE Ryoko, it's the amount of energy it needs to GROW."

To emphasize her point, the scientist brought out her hyper dimensional laptop, her fingers blurring across the board, the screen enlarging to depict a rough diagram of a planet.

"Like a regular plant, it needs a suitable atmosphere to survive, such as those of Jurai or Earth." Washu explained, tapping the screen with an extended pointer, causing a small, tree like image to appear at the side of the planet "The problem is, once this tree takes root, it drains all the available nourishment and life energy it can through it's roots." She explained, gesturing to the image, where a giant tree had grown, it's roots burrowing throughout the diagram of the planet "This energy is then used by the tree to facilitate the growth of its fruit. The tree essentially sucks the planet that the seed was planted on dry."

"I've heard of this…" a voice noted, the group turning as one to see Katsuhito Masaki, Tenchi's maternal grandfather, standing in the doorway, his glasses hiding his eyes from view as they reflected the light ominously "The tree was once known as the Sacred Tree, and it was said that only Gods were allowed to partake of it's fruit."

"In other words." Washu concluded, closing the image "While the Tree itself isn't truly evil, the energy requirement needed for it to grow and bear fruit are so extreme that few, if any, planets can sustain it without dying."

"That's terrible!" Tenchi exclaimed, the quarter juraian's fists clenching in horror as he recalled the grizzly image of the planet disintegrating around the roots "Why would anyone plant such a thing?"

"Because of the fruit." Tarble spoke up, looking downcast as he spoke "Turles, that's the captain of my team, wants to plant the tree on Earth, so he can harvest the fruit to raise his own power." He shivered and clenched his healed arm "When I tried to talk him out of it…it was all I could do to escape."

"No-one is faulting you for that, young one." Katsuhito assured the youth, patting a hand on the Saiyan's shoulder reassuringly "Good that you DID escape, else we would have no warning of the coming threat, as per the norm."

"Damn right!" Ryoko agreed, punching her fist into her palm with a feral grin "Now that we know they're coming, we can blast 'em out of the sky before they get within a MILE of earth!"

The pirates words were cut off as the whole house seemed to shake, Ayeka throwing herself over Sasami in concern, Tenchi tripping over the coffee-table, only for Ryoko to catch him, while Mihoshi tripped over her own two feet, knocking Tarble off his chair.

"What the heck was THAT?" Tenchi demanded, ignoring Ryoko's attempts at feeling him up for injuries, while off to the side Tarble did his best to avoid looking down Mihoshi's top as she straddled him, holding her head in pain "An earthquake?"

* * *

With Turles' crew...

"Not a bad spot…" Amond applauded, smirking down at the crater the prince's pod had created, having used his Bakuhatsuha to crack the ground beneath it, causing a long tear in the face of the planet "The little prince's sacrifice won't be in vain after all."

"We can't be sure he's dead." Raditz muttered, his tone pointed, though he had to admit things didn't look good for his prince.

When they'd arrived, the crater had been abandoned, though it showed signs of recent activity. Numerous sets of footprints led into the crater, NONE of which originated from the wrecked pod, which Raditz had noted in alarm was stained with blood.

A pool of blood also lay not too far from the pod, the trail leading up to it clearly signs that it had belonged to the occupant. It appeared as if the prince had survived the landing, barely, only to collapse and be quickly surrounded.

"I'm detecting faint signs of Jurai energy…" Cacao muttered, his built-in scanners, far more sophisticated than the average scouter, beeping as the scanned the area "Whoever was here before us, they used Jurai Energy or something similar."

"It's not looking good for our wayward Prince." Amond opined, the big bruiser smirking as he turned to Raditz, whose fists were clenched as he glared at the blood on the ground "Oh well, more fruit for us-!"

He trailed off as Raditz's fist caught him squarely in the mouth, the Saiyan's savage backhand sending the larger warrior sprawling backwards into the dirt, the rest of the group tensing, torn between helping their comrade, and fear of Raditz's strength, which the Saiyan had no qualms using against his one-time tormentors.

"Speak of the Prince in such tones again and I'll reach down your throat and rip your OTHER ball off, Amond." Raditz warned, glaring at the larger warrior as he sat up, rubbing his mouth with the back of his hand "am I clear?"

"Crystal…" Amond growled, spitting out a couple of molars with a scowl, before nodding to Daiz, who returned the gesture, pulling a small green seed from inside his armour and flicking it into the ravine Amond had created.

"Won't be long now…" the green haired warrior smirked, watching the seed fall into the darkness below as the others, with the exception of Raditz, clambered round to watch, the Saiyan guardsman instead crouching before his Prince's pod with a frown.

'All this blood…' he muttered, running a hand over the stains, noting with a scowl that most of them had already hardened 'This wasn't caused by planet fall…what happened to you, my Prince?'

Even as he spoke, the Saiyan was forced to steady himself against the pod, as massive, wooden tendrils erupted from the ground, Raditz quickly taking to the air, watching with a scowl as the crater and the pod disappeared beneath a set of massive limbs, as the Tree of Might, sensing rich, fertile soil, began to take root.

* * *

Turles Ship...

"Earth is proving to be the ideal environment for the Tree of Might." Turles chuckled, looking on in dark amusement from his command centre as he watched his plans come to fruition "At this rate, it won't be long before the Fruit blossoms and we can reap what we have sown."

He frowned suddenly, looking over the last readings from the drone they'd sent in to scour the planet, as well as finish off Turles before Raditz could locate the brat.

'To think that someone could destroy it…' he muttered, narrowing his eyes at the image of the stick wielding old man in priest robes 'A Juraian?' he wondered, 'Perhaps, the scanners Did indicate their presence…' he snorted 'Oh well, at the very least that answers the question of what happened to the brat.'

After all it wasn't like the Juraians would rescue an injured Saiyan, let alone LISTEN to any warnings he might be carrying.

* * *

Masaki Residence...

Tenchi looked on in horror as the news broadcast depicted images from all across Japan, as earthquakes of unprecedented levels rocked the entire island nation, causing buildings to collapse, roads to congest, and generally ruining a lot of people's day.

Of course, this PALED in comparison to what was going on outside the house, the group looking on in a mixture of horror and amazement as massive tendrils burst out of the mountainside, burying themselves in the lake and surrounding forest of the Masaki Shrine, each the size of a skyscraper, and growing larger by the second.

"As I thought…" Washu muttered, the redhead's brows furrowing as she scanned the tendrils with her computer "It's the tree alright…looks like Tarble's buddies followed him here like he said they would."

"Damn!" Tarble swore, the Saiyan youth looking up at the roots with a combination of anger and guilt, his fists clenched so tightly at his sides blood was trickling through his fingers "I thought we'd have more time!"

"Easy Kiddo," Washu assured him, smiling despite the urgency of the situation "I might not be able to stop the tree's growth, now that it's taken root." She blurred her fingers over the screen "But I can make it so that it doesn't spread to the rest of the world for a couple of hours."

"You can do that?" Tarble wondered, the Saiyan youth gazing at the redheaded girl, a look of incredulous amazement lining his features, only to blink as Ryoko scoffed mockingly off to the side.

"She turned the cupboard under the stairs into an intergalactic laboratory." Ryoko offered, looking at her mother with grudging respect "Trust me, if anyone can keep that overgrown weed from spreading, it's Washu."

"Aw~! Ryo-chan!" Washu simpered, the redhead leaping into the air, glomping onto her estranged daughter and messing up her hair, much to Ryoko's discomfort "Such praise from my little girl!"

"SHUT UP AND SEAL THE DAMN THING OFF ALREADY!" Ryoko snapped, the embarassed space pirate lashing out at the redhead genius, only to blink as she found herself holding a plushy of the redhead.

"Sorry I forgot the ribbon," Washu opined, a smug smile on her face as she stood with her back to her daughter, fingers blurring across her keyboard "Just promise me you won't do ecchi things to it, 'kay?"

"Are they…always like this?" Tarble asked, looking on as Ryoko began to gnaw on the plushy's head in her fury, earning a deadpan nod from Tenchi, which caused a sweatdrop to adorn the prince's brow "I see…

"There!" Washu exclaimed, pressing one last key, causing a strange dome to rise out of her laptop, expanding to blot out the sky, tinting it an faded black, as if they were looking at it through sunglasses "That barrier should limit the tree's sphere of influence to Japan…let's just hope it holds until we can get rid of it."

"Let me help!" Tarble insisted, stepping forwards with a hand over his chest, a determined look about his features that would have been impressive were it not for his age "It's my fault that they're here, the least I can do is help you stop them!"

"No-one's blaming you for this, Tarble-kun." Washu assured him, sending a pointed look in Ayeka's direction as the princess opened her mouth "Besides, we're used to this sort of thing happening."

"You don't understand!" Tarble countered, spreading his arms wide as if to make them see reason "The others are MUCH stronger than me! Each one of them can wipe out an entire planet by themselves!"

"Feh! Big deal," Ryoko scoffed, the cyan haired space pirate crossing her arms confidently beneath her breasts "I've fought Saiyans before, they're not much once you give 'em a taste of vacuum."

"Yes, but you had all THREE of your gems then," Washu reminded her daughter, causing the pirate's grin to freeze in place "And that was over 2000 years ago. At only a third of your full power, I wonder how long you'll last against veteran warriors who've probably been going at it for that long..."

"U-URASEI!" Ryoko swore, her cyan hair spiking out in all directions, her tail twitching irritably as she glared at her mother, before rounding on Tenchi, who backed away from her puppy-dog eyes warily "Tenchi~!"

"No." Tenchi muttered, the quarter-Juraian knowing EXACTLY what the pirate was after as he hid Tenchi-ken behind his back, holding up a palm rto stall the pirate's advance "This isn't the time Ryoko."

"But if not now WHEN?" Ryoko demanded, the pirate leaning in close, trailing the tip of one finger over her beloved's chest suggestively, causing him to flush "It's not like this isn't an emergency."

"We…we'll see what happens." Tenchi countered, trying, and failing, to keep his resolve firm in the face of the pirate's forward assault, loosing a sigh of relief as Ayeka planted herself between them, the two getting into their usual argument as he turned to Tarble "Is there anything you can tell us about the others?"

"There's Turles, the leader." Tarble supplied, shivering at the mention "He's a Saiyan like me, an elite too. He's the strongest, but he probably won't come out unless the others are being beaten. Under him is Amond, he's a giant with two scars on his chin." He looked the teen in the eye "Watch out for him, he's not as stupid as he looks."

"Got it." Tenchi muttered, the quarter juraian nervously brushing the mental image of a monstrous, energy breathing giant gorilla with horns and a giant iron club aside with a shake of his head "And the others?"

"Next up is Daiz," Tarble continued with a frown "he's got loads of jewellery on and is pretty cocky, he's also vain about his appearance, and doesn't like it when he's hit in the face. Cacao's a cyborg, his silver armour's got lot's of stuff hidden in there so watch out for that." He nodded "And then there's the twins, Raisin and Rakasei. They can combine into one body, but like to tag-team their opponents."

"Quite the menagerie of freaks." Washu opined, the redhead making a list of the enemy's traits on her computer for referencing, in case they needed to make a strategy "As expected of the Cold Dynasty…"

"There's one more…" Tarble added, the Saiyan youth looking down, his features lined with uncertainty "But if at all possible, I'd rather you'd avoid fighting him."

"Why's that?" Ryoko wondered, the space pirate looking up from her argument with Ayeka to frown at the Saiyan youth, the princess following suit with a look of interest "Is he a friend of yours?"

"Sort of." Tarble admitted, the young Saiyan looking downcast "His name's Raditz, he's a Saiyan like me, and Turles' nephew." He looked Tenchi in the eye "I think…no I'm certain that if you can just talk to him, he'll join us!"

"I doubt it kid," Ryoko opined, looking at the Saiyan youth apologetically "you said he was Turles' nephew right?" she continued at Tarble's nod "Well from what I know about Saiyans, they may not have the tightest bonds, but they NEVER turn their back on family."

"Normally that's true." Tarble agreed, a flash of pain appearing in his eyes at the mention of the word 'family', "But Raditz doesn't trust Turles, never has, and he's the only one on the crew that listened to me without mocking me behind my back."

"Sounds rough kid," Ryoko muttered, crossing her arms beneath her breasts as she eyed the Saiyan youth curiously, as this wasn't typical saiyan behavior "Still, how can you be sure we can trust him?"

"He saved my life." Tarble countered, looking up into the Space Pirate's ochre eyes defiantly, causing them to widen in shock "He could've left me to die on Vegetasei, left me to Frieza's elites, instead he risked his life to get me off world, almost dieing in the attempt." He looked down at his fist, clenching it tightly "If it weren't for Raditz, I'd have probably died on Vegetasei, or been brought to Frieza for him to kill at his leisure," he looked up at the group with determination in his eyes "I trust Raditz with my LIFE, AND yours if it came down to it."

* * *

_Masaki porch..._

Silence, interrupted only by the faint sounds coming from the television and the rustling of the roots, fell over the Masaki house, the occupants, as one, gaping in shock, and in some cases, admiration, at the Saiyan youth before them.

Even Ayeka, who was having a hard time reigning in her dislike of the youth, couldn't help but marvel at how, regal, he'd sounded as he defended his friend's honour, like one of the Juraian Knights of old, or her father when he got particularly preachy.

Snapping out of his daze with a shake, Tenchi stepped forward, the quarter Juraian placing a hand on Tarble's shoulder, smiling down at the Saiyan youth, who looked up at him in surprise. "Alright," he assured the youth, squeezing the young Saiyan's shoulder reassuringly "We'll try to let Raditz know."

"Masaki-san?" Tarble blinked, looking up at the elder teen in confusion, only for his features to shift into a look of relief "Thank you."

"Think nothing of it," Tenchi assured him "We wouldn't even know what was going on if you hadn't warned us." He smiled at the youth "And it's TENCHI to my friends, Masaki-san makes me sound like my father."

"Sorry Masa-TENCHI-san." Tarble corrected himself hurriedly, the saiyan youth rubbing the back of his neck at the near slip, even as the older teen nodded in approval "I didn't mean to offend you."

"You didn't." Tenchi assured him, before stepping back, his Jurai battle armour appearing in a flash of light as he turned to Ryoko and Ayeka, who were already wearing their own battle gear "You ready?"

"Always." Ryoko grinned, cracking her knuckles as a feral grin formed on her face, turning to Ryo-Ohki with a nod "You're up, Ryo-Ohki!"

"Myah!" the little Cabbit cheered, Tarble looking on in confusion as it raced down the bridge, only for his eyes to widen as it leapt into the air, undergoing a startling metamorphosis into a strange, crystalline spaceship with black spikes and a red gem in the centre.

"Let's do this, Ryo-Ohki!" Ryoko grinned, grabbing onto Ayeka and Tenchi and beaming herself onto the spaceship, which took off in the direction of the tree with an eager yowl, ready and willing to teach the invaders just whose litter box they'd stepped in.

"Amazing…" Tarble marvelled, looking after the transformed Cabbit in wonderment "I didn't know this planet was so advanced!"

"It isn't, sadly." Katsuhito countered, sidling up to the young Saiyan, placing a hand on his shoulder "Now then young one, would you care for some more tea? I don't believe you got to finish your cup before…"

'That's Katsuhito-dono for you…' Washu chuckled, watching the disguised Yosho lead the confused Tarble back into the house 'Crafty as a fox, perhaps it's a good thing he chose to step down from the right of succession, ONE Seto was bad enough.'

* * *

Whoo! Finally some action!

Play: Intro to end and prelude.

Announcer: Will Tenchi and the girls be able to solve this new threat?

Announcer: Or will turles' crew have something to say about it?

Announcer: And what of Raditz? Will he be friend or foe?

Raditz: Something sissy this way comes...

Daiz: By the pricking of your thumbs?

Raditz: *Quirks a brow* Well there's certainly a prick around here...

Announcer: Tune in next time, for Saiyan Muyo!


	7. Chapter 7

Ryoko: *Looking on as Raditz starts bitch-slapping orca's around* He seems to be having fun.  
Tenchi: *Munching on barbecue scewer* Aren't Orca's an endangered species?  
Washu: Didn't know that, want some BBQ with your penguin there?  
Tenchi: P-P-P-PENGUIN-!  
Washu: I kid, I kid *Smirks as he sighs in relief* It's dolphin.  
Kyugan: *Sighing as tenchi collapses, foaming at the mouth* This is why I stick to burgers.  
Raditz: *Tombstones a Leopard Seal into the ocean* Seconds on the way!  
Kyugan: Awesomsauce.

* * *

Chapter 6: No Need for Combat!

"Not long now…" Amond chuckled, the big bruiser chuckling as he stared up at the growing, infant fruit, which grew above the large cavity in the tree, where they'd hidden their ship from prying eyes "Just a little longer and the fruit will be ripe."

"And once we've eaten our fill our power will be off the charts," Daiz agreed, the ponytailed henchman smirking confidently alongside his massive comrade as they eyed the fruit of their misbegotten labors.

"Not that Turles needs more strength." Raisin snorted, the purple midget's ugly features twisting as he smirked wryly "But with this, the Turles Crusher Corps will be invincible!"

"All of our powers will grow…" Rakasei agreed, his tone eager as he gazes longingly up at the fruit alongside his twin "We'll outshine every warrior in the universe, even Lord Cooler!"

"Da!" Cacao agreed, his golden eyes narrowing eagerly as he eyed the fruit above, while off to the side Raditz snorted in dismissal, eyeing the fruit above with a hint of scepticism.

The younger Saiyan had been sceptical of this plan since he'd heard of it, after all, whoever heard of a piece of FRUIT granting someone a boost in energy? But he'd gone along with it because like it or not, Turles was a Saiyan, and FAMILY for that matter, and as much as he distrusted his father's brother, it went against Saiyan code to turn your back on your kin.

Still, he had to admit he was starting to see what all the fuss was about, the scouter readings coming from the infant fruit alone were enough to make his eyes widen, and the tree itself…well, needless to say, his doubts were slowly being swayed, though he sure as hell wasn't going to be chomping down on any until he saw there no adverse side effects.

He frowned, looking off to the side as his scouter picked up a high-energy reading approaching their position, the other scouters going off a few seconds later.

"Looks like we got company." Daiz noted, a hint of derisive amusement on his features as he tapped his scouter "Closing in fast…whatever it is, it certainly too advanced for this world."

"You think it's the GXP?" Amond wondered, the big bruiser sounding eager, as he had the highest kill-ratio for GXP officers amongst the crew, and took great pleasure in his work "Or maybe the Juraians?"

"Dunno…" Daiz muttered, frowning slightly as he continued to monitor the progress of the energy readings "Whatever it is, it's not a GXP cruiser…but it doesn't register as a Jurai ship either."

"Whoever it belongs to, they've obviously come for US." Turles opined, the leader stepping out of the shadows, tossing his cloak over his shoulder so his armour could be seen, his tail wrapping around his waist "Raditz, why don't you and the others go…GREET, our guests?"

"Sure, why not." Raditz snorted, even as the others snickered amongst themselves, eager to cut loose after being stuck on the ship for what felt like light-years "I could use a little workout, it'll help me work up an appetite."

* * *

_Aboard Ryo-ohki..._

"There it is…" Ryoko muttered, frowning as she stood at the bridge of Ryo-Ohki, directing the Cabbit ship with the guidance crystals "DAMN that thing's huge…I've heard of morning wood but this mother takes the cake."

"MUST you be so VULGAR, Ryoko?" Ayeka muttered, a deadpan expression on her face as she stood on the pirate's left, Tenchi sighing in exasperation on her right.

"Still, that thing's enormous," the quarter Juraian muttered, eyeing the parasitic plant that was sucking the life out of their planet "if we want to do any serious damage, we're going to have to aim for the trunk."

"Just leave it to us." Ryoko boasted, smirking as she brought up a targeting reticule on the main screen "Ready, Ryo-Ohki?" she grinned as her partner/sibling/mode of transportation yowled in response "Then LET'ER RIP!"

Ryo-Ohki complied eagerly, the criminal battleship gathering crimson energy from it's four spikes, forming a massive sphere at the front of it, before releasing it all in a massive burst that slammed into the trunk of the tree with the force of a nuclear warhead, the cloud of dust resulting from the explosion blinding them for a matter of moments.

"Huh, that was easy." Ryoko muttered, smirking confidently up at the screen, only to scowl as the dust gave way to reveal the Tree, virtually untouched, though the bark did seem to be glowing slightly "Oh COME ON!" she snarled, bringing Ryo-Ohki's main weapons online again "One more time! This time I'll aim for the roots!"

"Wait Ryoko!" Ayeka exclaimed, grapping her rival's wrist to distract her from the task, her eyes wide with alarm "If you do that, you'll destroy everything else AROUND the roots as well!"

"What do you propose we do then?" Ryoko demanded, only to blink as Ryo-Ohki's sensors picked up several energy signatures, weaker than the tree, but still rather impressive "Looks like the welcoming committee are here…" she muttered, turning to Tenchi as she spoke "What do we do?"

"Let's go." Tenchi replied, Ryoko nodding, manipulating the controls so Ryo-Ohki rose above the roots, coming to a halt just above the energy levels, the trio disembarking in a blur of light to stand atop the trunk of the tree, eyeing the group gathered before them with caution.

"Heh, what pitiful losers," the big one chuckled, his scarred features lined with derision as he sneered down at the trio "You think you can destroy the Shinseijuu with a blast that weak?"

'That must be Amond…' Tenchi muttered, shivering as he realized Tarble's description had been right on the money, as the guy literally was a giant, his massive frame easily ten times that of the quarter Juraian 'The one in the silver must be Cacao…' he deduced, eyes moving over the gathered aliens 'but which one's Raditz?'

"Hey!" Ryoko called out, the space pirate planting herself before the group, hands on her hips as she glared at them "You jokers the ones that dropped this overgrown bonsai here?"

"Personally, I think it makes the forest look better," a smaller warrior wearing copious amounts of jewellery countered, sneering at the pirate confidently "It can stand as the sole pillar of strength on this weakling planet."

"How dare you!" Ayeka countered, the princess standing to the fore, a look of affront on her features "Earth is a planet under the protection of the Jurai Royal family! An act of such blatant disrespect is tantamount to a declaration of war! As the first Princess, I order you to cease these senseless action and surrender yourselves to-!"

"Ah go suck off your brother, PRINCESS!" Daiz scoffed, the rest of his comrades cackling with laughter at Ayeka's stunned features "That's what you Juraians do, right? Too good to look outside your own social circle?"

"Plus she's the PRINCESS." The horrid little alien sitting on Amond's shoulder sneered, his tone derisive "That means her daddy's got to pick her husband to be."

"Sick bastard probably doesn't WANT to give her away." Amond sneered, leering at Ayeka, whose features were turning red with anger "She's probably his 'special little girl'…"

"That's enough." A cold voice snapped, Ayeka's angry outburst trailing off as the group looking up as a tall, though not as tall as Amond, warrior stepped forwards, his mane of black hair trailing down to his ankles, arms crossed before his chest as he glared down at the group "Save your energy for the fight, don't underestimate them just cause they're Juraians…" he sneered at Amond "Or have you forgotten how you GOT those scars, Amond?"

The massive warrior scowled, growling to himself, but said nothing, choosing instead to glare silently at the new arrival's back, even as he looked the trio over.

"Hmm…the princess is at 10,000…" the Saiyan muttered, a hint of grudging approval in his tone as his scouter read her power level "The boy's at 18,000…" he noted, shifting his gaze to Tenchi, only to frowned as his eyes landed on Ryoko, taking in her spiky, gravity defying hair and the tail waving behind her "You, woman…" he called out, a hint of intrigue and, dare he say it, hope, in his voice "are you a Saiyan…?"

"Hell no." Ryoko countered, crossing her arms beneath her breasts, matching the massive warrior glare for glare "Fought a few in the past though, tough mothers, knew how to party too." She smirked up at the warrior "Take it you're one then?"

"You'd guess correct," the warrior smirked, his tail, which Tenchi had first assumed to be a massive, furry belt, unwrapping from around his waist to wave steadily at his side, before returning to it's place "If you've fought Saiyans before and lived, then perhaps this fight won't be as boring as I thought it'd be."

"Excuse me…" Tenchi called out, drawing the warrior's attention to himself with a flinch, hoping like hell that Tarble's information was on the money "Are you…Raditz by any chance?"

The Saiyan stiffened, his dark eyes turning to bore into Tenchi's eyes with the intensity of a laser, his face like a thundercloud "Where did you hear my name, boy?" he demanded, his tone brooking no argument.

"T-Tarble-kun, told me about you." Tenchi stammered, startled by the sheer animosity in the Saiyan's tones, even as Raditz's eyes widened behind his scouter "He told me…"

"So THAT'S why we couldn't find the little prince." Daiz sneered, speaking up a little louder than necessary to block out the teen's voice "You Juraians probably tortured him to learn what was going on."

"No!" Tenchi countered, stepping forwards, his hands out to the side as he looked between the warrior and Raditz, whose look of fury was growing nigh apoplectic "He came here to warn us-!"

"A likely story," Amond snorted, the big warrior sneering to cover up the nervous sweat adorning his face, though not before Ryoko noticed it, the pirate frowning suspiciously "Tarble might be the weakest of us but he'd NEVER sell us out, ESPECIALLY not to Juraians."

* * *

_With Tenchi..._

"I'm telling the truth!" Tenchi insisted, trying to make them listen to him over their laughter, only to blink as Ryoko stepped forward, holding out her arm to bar his progress.

"Give it a rest Tenchi," Ryoko muttered, her tone stern as her expression as she glared at the group, though Raditz was exempt "We're not gonna get through to him with these muscle headed freaks interfering." She grinned ferally, summoning her energy sword and aiming it at them "Looks like we gotta do this the old fashioned way."

"Woman…" Daiz sneered, the green haired warrior tossing a rock in the air with one hand, before crushing it to pebbles in his grip "Now you're speaking our LANGUAGE!"

"Ayeka." Ryoko commanded, the space pirate addressig the princess over her shoulder, even as the muscleheads began to move "You take the ugly one!"

"Who died and made YOU leader?" Ayeka demanded, glaring pointedly at the pirate/rival for Tenchi's affecton, despite the growing threat "YOU take the Ugly one!"

'Which one's the ugly one?' Tenchi wondered idly, as none of the invaders were particularly pleasant to look at, a stark difference from the USUAL enemies they had to deal with, as even Kagato had looked mildly attractive, in a creepy, sinister sort of way, only to look up in alarm as Raditz lunged at him, the Saiyan roaring defiance as he tackled the quarter Juraian off the tree and out of sight.

"TENCHI-SAMA/TENCHI!" Ayeka and Ryoko yelled out in tandem, the two rivals turning to help their mutual love in alarm, only to trail off as they were forced to scatter as the Saiyan's companions joined the fray, Ryoko facing off against Amond and his little friend, while Ayeka dealt with Daiz and Cacao.

"You're a mouthy little bitch you know that?" Amond muttered, smirking to himself as he lashed out at Ryoko with a flurry of punches, which the space pirate fended off despite the best efforts of his little purple friend "You really think you stand a chance in HELL against us?"

"Better chance by the minute, jumbo." Ryoko shot back, smirking as she faded out of sight, causing Amond and the purple alien to clobber one another, reappearing behind the latter and delivering a punishing boot to the head that sent him smashing into the ground below "One down."

"You little bitch!" Amond roared, recovering from the blow he'd suffered with a look of fury "You'll pay for that!" he swore, spinning around on the spot, causing a miniature tornado "WHIRLWIND SPIN!"

"Whoa!" Ryoko yelped, narrowly dodging a circular disk of energy that spun out of the tornado, looking on irately as a few locks of her spiky cyan hair fell away "You BATARD! Don't you know a woman's hair is her pride!"

"Then by the time I'm through with you you'll be BALD." Amond sneered, leaping forward and lashing out with a series of punches that Ryoko, in her anger, was forced to block, rather than simply phase around them.

"Have at you, brutes!" Ayeka declared, launching wave upon wave of Jurai energy at Cacao, the cyborg weaving around them through a combination of impressive moves and built in thrusters in his armour that allowed him to change direction on a dime.

Cursing as she realized the mechanical monster was getting too close, the princess leapt into the air, Cacao once again using his thrusters to get ahead of her, only to curse as he was entrapped in her barrier, the princess looking on as the electrical energy arched over him with a cold look.

"It would do you no good to struggle." She warned the alien cyborg pointedly "That force field is strong enough to hold Ryoko in place, someone like YOU couldn't budge it if they tried their entire lives."

"Then we'll just have to make you drop it." Daiz countered, sneaking up behind the princess, a ball of crimson ki in his palms which he hurled at her, forcing her to break her concentration as she dodged, allowing Cacao the chance he needed to break free of his restraints "That's the problem with you Juraians." Daiz sneered, hovering alongside his mechanized comrade "Mess up your concentration, and you're out of the game!"

"Damn!" Ayeka swore, launching a blast of energy at the duo to give herself time to think, only to choke as Cacao, using his thrusters to get in under her guard, slammed into her, his body like a cruise missile as it rammed her into the ground below.

* * *

_Masaki House..._

"Ayeka!" Sasami exclaimed, the younger princess' cry startling the other occupants as she sat up on the couch, her eyes wide with alarm "Oh no! Ayeka's in trouble!"

"Calm down Sasami." Katsuhito insisted, placing a restraining hand on his younger half-sibling's shoulder to keep her from running off "There's nothing you can do…just trust in Tenchi and Ryoko to bring her back to us."

"But…she's hurt!" Sasami stammered, looking up at her elder half-brother and Tenchi's Grandfather with tears in her eyes "I can feel it, even from far away! What if she dies?"

"She won't die." Katsuhito assured her, the confidence in his tone unshakeable "Tenchi and Ryoko wouldn't let that happen even if it killed them."

"Um…" Mihoshi opined, her finger against her lips "Wouldn't that just make the situation worse, Oji-sama?"

Katsuhito jerked, a bead of sweat adorning the heads of the others at Mihoshi's random moment of brilliant insight, even as the priest recovered from his shock, covering it up with a not-so-subtle cough.

"In any case," he muttered, turning to look at Washu, who's fingers were blurring over her keyboard like lightning "What's the situation, Washu?"

"To put it bluntly? BAD." Washu muttered, her brows furrowing as she glared at her laptop screen, as if It was responsible for all her problems "The barrier's breaking up a lot faster than I thought, at this rate it won't last another hour."

"It would appear the tree's power is mightier than we thought…" Katsuhito muttered, his features grim, only to stagger slightly, clutching his chest, his hand gripping the sofa for support."

"Yosho-Niichan!" Sasami exclaimed, reaching out to hold her elder half-sibling's arm in concern as he struggled to catch his breath, her pink eyes wide with concern "What's wrong?"

"Damn…" Katsuhito muttered, his aged features shimmering, the group looking on in surprise as they were replaced with the face of a handsome, younger man with a striking resemblance to Tenchi, only with longer hair "It seems even Funaho is beginning to feel the effects of the drain…"

"This is bad…" Washu muttered, her fingers a veritable blur "Most of Funaho's Jurai power has been lost since she took root in earth's soil, but if she's grown so weak that she can no longer shield herself…"

"Then it seems my time may come to an end alongside my adoptive home planet's." Yosho finished, a resigned smile adorning his features as he sat on the sofa, a concerned Sasami hugging him tightly.

"Yosho-Niichan!" the younger princess cried, her features distraught as she buried her face in her elder half-sibling's chest, tears falling freely from her eyes "Don't die! You can't die!"

"Calm yourself Sasami-chan…" Yosho assured the girl, patting her on the head, much like how he used to calm Ayeka when she'd come to him in tears "I've lived a long, satisfying life…longer than I would have if I'd stayed on Jurai at any rate." He closed his eyes with smile "I'm simply glad for the time I had…"

Washu grimaced, looking up from her computer as Sasami continued to cry, only to blink as Tarble got to his feet, the young Saiyan's face grim as he turned on his heel and marched towards the door. "Tarble-kun?" Mihoshi called out, the blonde GXP detective turning to look at the Saiyan youth in confusion "Where are you going?"

"To do what I should've done in the first place." Tarble muttered, his tone as grim as his features as he opened the sliding door leading out onto the dock "I'm going to go help them!"

"But you can't!" Mihoshi insisted, the Kuramitsu family's invincible daughter looking at the Saiyan youth in concern "You only just recovered a while ago! You could get hurt really bad this time!"

"Even so…" Tarble muttered, the Saiyan youth clenching his fists audibly as he stood in the doorway "Even if I can only back them up for a little while…I have to try!"

"This is unusual…" Washu noted, the redhead quirking a brow in the youth's direction, a coy smirk on her lips "What happened to your dislike of fighting?"

Tarble paused, looking at the redhead over his shoulder, his eyes flicking towards Sasami's tear-lined face, before smiling ruefully at the redhead "Maybe I found a reason to fight."

And with that he blasted off, leaving behind a confused Mihoshi and Sasami, while Washu and Yosho shared a smile at the Saiyan's meaning.

* * *

_At the tree..._

"So much for the First Princess of Jurai…" Cacao muttered, the cyborg alien standing over Ayeka's groaning form, having half buried the elder princess in the ground beneath the roots of the Shinseijuu "Seriously," he muttered, slowly lifting off the ground, his silver gauntlets extending as he gathered energy into his palms for the finishing blow "if this is all the Royal family has to offer, I don't see how they've held out against Cold's forces as long as they have!"

The silver automaton's gloating was short lived however, as no sooner had he gathered enough energy to blast the princess into the afterlife was he himself blasted out of the air by means of a bolt of orange energy ramming into his chest plate, courtesy of furious Ryoko, the cyan haired space pirate having left Amond to pull himself out of the hole in the mountain she'd shoved him into, a good few miles away from the tree.

"You okay down there, Ayeka?" Ryoko demanded, taking her eyes off Cacao, who'd managed to flip himself over to land on all fours like a cat, the Pirate looking down when her rival failed to respond "Dammit!" she cursed, eyeing the still form below "That's what you get for letting your guard down!"

"Like you're one to talk!" Daiz sneered, the green-haired warrior appearing from behind the pirate, launching a crimson blast of energy at Ryoko, who deflected it with a snarl, sending a blast of her own at the cocky warrior, hurling one at Cacao before the cyborg could get his bearings for good measure, taking a perverse form of satisfaction as their cries of alarm were cut off.

"You're ten thousand years to young to try sneaking up on ME, loser." She mocked, smirking at the smoking craters that the two had left behind, before turning her attention back to the matter at hand. "Now then…" she muttered, dropping down to ground level, her hands on her hips as she smirked down at Ayeka. "Look at you," the pirate mocked, nudging her rival's head with her toe "don't you EVER get tired of this 'damsel in distress' routine?"

"Gck…the indignity of it all…" Ayeka muttered, the princess glaring up at the space pirate blearily, though there was a hint of humour in her tone despite her glare "To be rescued by a beast such as yourself…"

"Careful princess…" Ryoko warned, her tone teasing as she reached down and pulled her rival in love out of the ground "This BEAST might not be around to save you next time."

The minute those words left her lips, Amond, who was looking HIGHLY vexed, rammed into her with a shoulder tackle, slamming her into the trunk of the Shinseijuu, before delivering a punishing series of blows.

"Ryoko-san!" Ayeka yelped, looking up as her rival and, though she'd never admit it aloud, closest friend was beaten savagely "Why you!" she swore, leaping up at the brute, only to find the path blocked by the ugly little creature that had adorned his shoulder.

"Sorry Princess, road's closed." The little monster taunted, his arms spread wide as he leered at her disgustingly "Unless you'd care to pay the toll?"

* * *

Yeesh, talk about practicing what you preach.  
Ayeka: Indeed! To think she ACTUALLY thought she could lecture ME!  
Ryoko: Sucker-punching little...

Play; Intro to Finale and Conclusion.

Ryoko and Ayeka find themselves up against the ropes!  
Raisin and Rakaei: We always win!  
But help comes from an unexpected source!  
Tarble: GET AWAY FROM HER!  
Meanwhile: Tenchi faces off against Raditz!  
Tenchi: I just wan't to talk!  
Raditz: Talk is cheap Juraian!  
But their reprieve is short lived, as the mastermind steps onto the stage!  
Turles: If it isn't the little PRINCESS of Saiyans...  
Can Tenchi get Raditz to listen to their plight? Can Turles, Ayeka and Ryoko stand up to the might of Turles?  
Or is the earth doomed to become sustenance for the Shinseijuu?  
Find out next time, on Saiyan Muyo!


	8. Chapter 8

Tenchi: Ugh, what hit me?  
Washu: Guilty conscience.  
Tenchi: Oh right...the Dolphin burgers.  
Raditz: *Eating a MASSIVE burger* Seriously kid, you need to lighten up.  
Tenchi: *Glaring at the Saiyan* Well excuse me for caring about the environment!  
Washu: You're excused *Hands Radditz the barbecue sauce*  
Tenchi: Seriously, what if PETA finds out about this?  
Washu: Oh they were here.  
Tenchi: *pales* Really? They didn't bring Pita man did they?  
Ryoko: Oh Relax Tenchi! Those guys weren't anything special.  
RAditz: I dunno, that freak with the spandex tasted pretty good with Teriyaki sauce.  
Tenchi:... (Bug eyed) I'm going to have a panic attack now.  
Ryoko: Can I hold you?  
Tenchi: Only if you promise not to molest.  
Kyugan: I'll go get Sasuke's full body condom.

* * *

Chapter 7: No Need for a Betrayal.

"Sorry Princess, road's closed." The horrid little purple alein taunted, his arms spread wide as he leered at the first princess of Planet Jurai with a disgustingly lewd expression "Unless you'd care to pay the toll?"

"Get out of my way!" Ayeka cried, concern for her rival/best friend overpowering the pain of her injuries, granting her additional strength as she powered up a double-handed blast of Jurai energy, hurling it at the creature that dared to stand in her way.

She looked on, glaring defiantly at the beast as her attack hit it dead on, only to blink as, at the last second, the creature appeared to split into TWO, who promptly flipped out of the path of the beam, the Princess so stunned by the sight that she didn't even have time to block before they rammed their feet into her midriff, sending her crashing towards the ground once again.

"Presenting!" the duo declared in tandem, one's voice decidedly deeper than the other's, which sounded oddly squeaky as they pulled of a series of symetrical poses "Raisin and Rakasei: The Twilight Twins who ALWAYS win!"

"Get away from her!" a voice yelled, the duo looking up just in time to be kicked in the faces, sending them careening towards the ground, though they managed to stop themselves in mid-air at the last second.

"Who the hell?" Raisin demanded, the elder of the twin brothers glaring up at the sky, intent on MUTILATING the little bastard that had interrupted their big entrance, only to blink as he realized no-one was there.

"Below!" Rakasei declared, the younger of the brothers drawing his sibling's attention to the ground, where a small, (By normal standards, he was still taller than the twins), figure was holding the unconscious form of Ayeka in his arms.

"Well, well, well!" Raisin sneered confidently, the elder twin looking down at their assailant, a mocking leer adorning his ugly features "If it isn't the little prince…decided to stop hiding behind your friends have you?"

"No more." Tarble muttered, the Saiyan Prince gently setting Ayeka on the ground, wiping a trail of blood off her face as he glared up at the siblings "I'm not going to let you monsters get away with this anymore!"

* * *

_Meanwhile..._

Tenchi grimaced, the quarter Juraian teen relying on every last ounce of his grandfather's martial arts training as he fended off Raditz's powerful blows, using a combination of blocks, sidesteps, and the Tenchi-ken's force fields to weather the worst of the assault.

So far it seemed to be working, in that he was still alive, however, this only meant that he was still around to feel the pain of the blows that managed to make it under his guard.

"COWARD!" Raditz snarled, the Saiyan guardsman coming down on him from on high, using a double-handed overhead blow to send the quarter-Juraian spiralling towards the ground at high speed "Stop hiding behind that shield and face me!"

"I don't want to fight you, Raditz-san!" Tenchi insisted, the exhausted teen looking up at the larger Saiyan warrior pleadingly, only to curse, bringing both arms up to fend off yet another double-handed assault on his shields that drove his ankles deeper into the dirt "I only want to talk!"

"Talk is cheep, Juraian!" Raditz countered, the Saiyan guardsman charging up a bolt of energy in both hands, rearing one back before launching a beam of golden energy at the teen, who managed to leap nimbly out of the way, only to smirk, bringing the other hand back to launch the second blast, which slammed into the teen's shields, sending him sprawling out of the air to crash into the ground "Besides!" he sneered, dusting off his palms before leaping into the air "I've got no reason to talk to a Juraian brat that hides behind a shield!"

"I'm an Earthling dammit!" Tenchi swore, rolling clear of Raditz's foot as the Saiyan stamped down where his head had been moments ago, the teen lashing out desperately with the Tenchi-ken to make him back off, rolling to his feet and placing the sword between them to catch his breath "What's your beef with Juraians anyway?"

"Other than the fact they're a bunch of snobby, incestuous tree-huggers?" Raditz demanded, a mocking smirk on his face as he blurred forwards, slipping under Tenchi's guard and FINALLY managing to get a body blow in, sending Tenchi crashing into one of the Shinseijuu's roots, though the shield dampened the damage dealt "I can't stand the smell." He admitted "It's like those cheep air fresheners you get at fuelling planets…" he sneered at the teen "rather ironic they're always shaped like TREES."

Tenchi groaned, grimacing as he tried to pull himself out of the crater he'd formed, only to choke as Raditz's knee rammed into his stomach, blood and spit flying from his mouth, even as the Saiyan's elbow caught him behind the neck, only his Juraian battle armour protecting his neck from shattering under the blow, even as he slammed into the unforgiving ground.

"You're a resilient little tree-hugger I'll give you that much." Raditz opined, grudging approval in his tone as he lowered himself down to ground level, his arms crossed before him as he watched Tenchi push himself up onto his knees "Most Juraians don't survive the FIRST blow…you've clearly had some experience."

"Nothing I'd care to talk about…" Tenchi managed to get out, the teen gripping the Tenchi-ken in his hand in a death grip as he clambered to his feet, grimacing at the pain in his body, worried that if he loosened his grip for a second, he'd drop the weapon.

"Ready for Round two are we?" Raditz mocked, quirking a brow and tilting his head to the side, clearly revaluating his opinion of the teen "Alright then, as a show of sportsmanship…I'll let you get one free blow in."

Tenchi grimaced, his pride railing at the Saiyan's mockery of his skills, though he swallowed his pride, recalling Tarble's words, taking a deep breath as he deactivated Tenchi-ken and stared into the Saiyan's eyes "No." he countered, his tone exhausted "I won't fight you, Raditz-san."

"Huh, you give an inch, they take a mile." Raditz snorted, a wicked smirk crossing his features as he tilted his head over his shoulder, where the sounds of battle could be heard "You sure you wanna be saying that? From the sounds of things, your women could use a helping hand."

"Ryoko and Ayeka can take care of themselves." Tenchi assured the Saiyan, recovering more of his strength with each breath he took "I need to speak to YOU now, before this gets any more out of hand."

"And you say you're not Juraian." Raditz snorted, shaking his head mockingly "All they wanna do is talk, talk, talk. They go on and on and ON like old women till they go blue in the face, and expect everyone else to just shut up and listen."

"I was told to speak to you by Tarble-kun." Tenchi spoke up, refusing to let the Saiyan guardsman's words get to him, fighting the urge to flinch as Raditz's eyes hardened "He said that if we could explain things to you, you'd help us."

"Help you with what?" Raditz demanded, the Saiyan Guardsman snorting derisively, his upper lip curling back to reveal pointed canines "Burial detail? If you don't mind picking out the gravesite, I'll GLADLY put you in the hole."

"Tarble-kun didn't lead you here." Tenchi continued, staring into the Saiyan's unreadable black eyes with determination, and a touch of wariness "He was came here to WARN us about Turles plans for the Shinseijuu."

"Watch your tongue brat…" Raditz growled, the guardsman's onyx eyes hardening to a diamond like intensity as he glared at the teen "You accuse my prince of treason…one more word and I'll have your tongue."

'Tarble-kun's a prince?' Tenchi wondered, blinking in amazement, having wondered what Amond and the others were talking about back at the tree 'Huh, small world…' he muttered, even as he met Raditz's gaze again "It's the truth!" he declared aloud "He told us everything! How Turles found the seed of the Shinseijuu, how he tried to talk him out of it, how Turles had him beaten before shoving him in the pod-!"

He trailed off, eyes widening as a massive hand wrapped around his throat, lifting him off the ground, his legs kicking feebly as he gazed down into Raditz's furious eyes. "Enough." The Saiyan growled, his hand tightening around the teen's neck like a vice, as the other powered up a blast of Ki "Any last words before I send you to your maker, boy?"

"K-Kill me if you must…" Tenchi managed to get out, struggling to draw air into his lungs as he looked into the Saiyans eyes through his grimace "B-but…if you do…then at least…don't let Turles…get away…with this!"

Raditz scowled, his brows furrowing as his right eye twitched, raising his palm, which was crackling with energy, ready to blast a hole in Tenchi's chest, only to pause as his scouter began beeping like crazy. 'A power level of 18,000?' he wondered, frowning at the level as he allowed the blast of ki in his hands to fade away 'Is it…the Jurai princess?' he wondered, only for his eyes to widen 'No…it's the Prince!'

"Tarble-kun…" Tenchi muttered, Raditz's gaze snapping back to the Juraian teen, noting the concern in his eyes "No…he's not recovered yet…"

Raditz scowled, his eyes narrowing as uncertainty warred with his Saiyan pride and dislike of Juraians, before loosening his grip, dropping the teen to the ground, where he dropped to his knees, choking in gasps of air. "Stay there." The Saiyan ordered, glaring down at the winded teen commandingly "I'll be back to deal with YOU once I've ensured my prince's safety."

"Take your time…" Tenchi panted, one hand holding his abused throat as the Saiyan blasted off towards the main body of the tree, leaving him to catch his breath.

* * *

_With Tarble and the Twins... _

"You're saying YOU'RE going to stop us?" Raisin repeated, the elder of the twighlight twins looking down at Tarble with open mockery in every line of his ugly, warty face, as if the Saiyan prince had told the joke of the century.

"HA!" Rakasei cackled, his features mirroring his elder twins as he sneered down at the Saiyan youth from on high "And how do you intend to do that, Oujo-CHAN?" he sneered, using the nickname they'd used whenever they got the desire to 'play' with him.

Tarble scowled, stepping away from Ayeka's limp form and moving into a fighting stance, which only seemed to heighten the sibling's amusement. "Ooh!" Raisin cackled, holding his hands up before him in mock defence "Look at him glare Rakasei! Don't tell me the little prince finally found his backbone?"

"Stop it! You're scaring me!" Rakasei added, cackling alongside his elder twin as they continued to mock the youth. And for good reason, even THEY, the weakest of Turles' Crusher Corps, could take the little brat down easily.

"Keep laughing…" Tarble muttered, the Saiyan Prince glaring up at the twins even as he clenched his fists at his sides his eyes hardening as he readied himself "I hear you can't reincarnate if you don't smile as you die."

"Real funny kid." Raisin snorted, sneering down at the Saiyan youth derogatively "But enough kidding around, you REALLY think you got what it takes to handle the Twilight Twins without that overgrown gorilla watching your back?" he smirked as Tarble's scowl deepened "Ooh, struck a nerve did I?"

"Don't…" Tarble uttered, his voice dangerously low "Ever…" his clothes began to ruffle as his aura powered up "Insult…Raditz…"

Raisin frowned, looking down at the youth in confusion as his scouter kicked in, his eyes widening alongside Rakasei's as the young prince's power level rose higher.

"In…front…of…ME!" Tarble roared, throwing his head back as he powered up to his maximum, the Twilight twins looking on in horror as their scouters exploded off their faces, unable to keep up with the jump in power levels.

At that very moment, Tarble exploded into the air, his face a mask of sheer fury as he reared back, delivering a punishing blow to Raisin's stomach, burying his fist in the alien's body, causing the elder twin to spit up a mouthful of blue blood.

"BROTHER!" Rakasei exclaimed, looking on in horror as Tarble tossed his elder sibling's broken corpse aside like so much garbage "YOU LITTLE BRAT!" he snarled, charging a blast of crimson ki in each hand "I'LL KILL YOU!"

Tarble snarled, turning to face the younger twin, swatting his ki blast to the side, before launching a blast of his own, Rakasei's features turning pale just before he was consumed by the blast, his scream of terror and rage cutting off as he was disintegrated.

* * *

_As the dust settles..._

"I…did it…" Tarble panted, gasping for breath, the adrenalin rush causing his body to tremble, feeling a hint of inexplicable satisfaction race through him as he watched the dust settle down from his last attack "Both of them…like it was nothing…"

Tarble had never had much of a stomach for battle, nor could he stand the act of killing, a trait that had deemed him a 'failure' since birth, only his position as King Vegeta's son saving him from being culled, like so many others. It was rumoured that his father had intended to marry him off to some foreign ally in order to strengthen their ties, though whether said rumours were true were debateable, since the only person who could verify of denounce them was long dead, at Frieza's hands.

'I wonder what you'd think of me now…Father…' the young prince thought wistfully, recalling his father's mighty form and proud features, and those of his elder brother, Crown Prince Vegeta, the only one who'd shown the younger prince any form of kindness, however grudging 'No time to think about that…' he countered, shaking his head and clenching his fist 'I need to get Ayeka-san out of here-!'

He froze, his hackles rising as he felt a familiar, sinister presence looming behind him, whipping round just in time for a large hand to grab him by the neck, his teeth clenching as he fought to break free.

"Well, well, well…" Turles noted, the grey-skinned Saiyan elite's tone as smugly charismatic as ever, even as he smirked darkly at the prince as he watched the younger Saiyan struggle in his grip "If it isn't the little PRINCESS of Saiyans."

"Turles…" Tarble grit out, glaring at Raditz's uncle with hatred in his eyes, recalling looking up at the same smug expression as the elite had ordered Amond and the others to beat him to death for defying him "You bastard…"

"Ooh, such harsh language…" Turles scoffed, chuckling darkly as he tightened his grip on the prince's neck, "And here I was coming to congratulate you on finally finding your spine under all that cowardice…" he smirked, his scouter chirping as it read the prince's new power level "And I see you've raised your meagre fighting level to a whopping 18,000! Looks like giving you a little work-out paid off."

"You tried to kill me!" Tarble snapped, glaring into the treacherous elite's eyes, his own brimming with undisguised hatred "You promised Raditz and me that you were just trying to keep the Saiyan race alive, but then you tried to kill me when I found out about the Shinseijuu!"

"I tried to knock some SENSE into you." Turles countered, still looking as confidently amused as ever as he watched the prince struggle "Honestly my prince, such compassion for those weaker than you is what alienated you in the FIRST place. Can't you see that it is only RIGHT that we, as the superior, Warrior Race, should stand at the very HEIGHT of the food chain?"

"That doesn't condone killing off countless innocent people!" Tarble countered, glaring at the grey-skinned Saiyan defiantly, his redoubling his attempts at escape "You're strong enough as it is! What do you need the tree for?"

"Ah prince…" Turles sighed, shaking his head, a look of mocking pity in his eyes as he smirked at the boy once more "So naïve to the ways of the world…it doesn't matter HOW strong I become, with the Tree of Fruit, I will NEVER have to worry about someone stronger coming along. With it, the Saiyans will be the unopposed rulers of the universe."

"Rulers of what?" Tarble demanded, the ysecond prince of House Vegeta glaring into the grey-skinned elite's eyes defiantly "Who're you going to rule over? There aren't any other Saiyans! Just me, you and Raditz!"

"And soon, it will be just Raditz and I." Turles noted, smirking as he tightened his grip on the prince's neck, causing Tarble's eyes to widen as his air was cut off "But don't you worry, PRINCESS." He chuckled, sneering at the struggling youth "I'll be sending him along to join you soon enough."

Tarble grimaced, his eyelids growing heavy as he slowly began to black out, grimacing at the thought of Turles' smirking face being the last thing he ever saw, only for the pressure around his neck to lessen as the elder Saiyan's scouter went off.

"What the Devil?" Turles muttered, the grey-skinned elite scowling as he turned to locate the oncoming energy "Power level of 20,000? Impossible, who the hell has that much power on this dirt ball?"

"Turles!" a familiar voice snapped, Bardock's elder brother looking up just in time to see Raditz, his face like a thundercloud, come blazing towards him like a comet of ki, screeching to a halt behind his uncle in a combat stance "Let the prince go!"

"Ah, Raditz." Turles greeted, smiling confidently at his nephew, even as he continued to hold Tarble up by the collar of his borrowed clothing "Look what the cat dragged in…I've found our runaway prince."

"Raditz…" Tarble called out, coughing due to the damage to his windpipe, wincing at how feeble his voice sounded, even as Turles took the opportunity to tighten his grip on the prince's neck once again.

"Uncle…" Raditz growled, the Saiyan guardsman's eyes narrowing, never leaving his uncle's face as he clenched his fists, which were begining to bleed under the intense preassure "Let the prince go. NOW."

"Such antagonism, nephew!" Turles noted, his tone laced with gentle, confident mockery as he turned to face the Saiyan "Why, anyone else would think you were threatening me. Your own flesh and blood!"

"Turles." Raditz growled out, dropping all pretext of respect for his father's brother as he glared at the grey-skinned elder Saiyan that was holding his prince "I won't ask you again! Let Prince Tarble go, NOW!"

"Oh really?" Turles opined, his look of dark amusement replaced with a an annoyed scowl, if only for a second, only to shift back to the traditional Saiyan 'What are you going to do about it, weakling' smirk "I must respectfully refuse."

"DON'T FUCK WITH ME!" Raditz swore, lunging towards his uncle with his hands extended, only for Turles' smirk to widen, the grey-skinned elite hurling the winded prince at his nephew, who cursed, pulling up short as he caught the prince in his massive arms "DAMN!" he cursed, looking around for his elusive uncle with a scowl "Where'd he run off to?"

"R-Raditz…" Tarble croaked out, the winded second prince of house Vegeta looking up at his concerned guardsman with a relieved expression as he caught his breath "Turles…he said he was going to…"

"Talk later…" Raditz muttered, Bardock's son clenching his teeth at the sight of how badly injured his prince was, cursing himself for letting him out of his sight for even a moment with Turles' crew running around "I'll deal with him later, right now I have to get you to a healing tank."

"No time…" Tarble countered, the winded saiyan youth gripping the neckline of Raditz's battle armour, forcing the startled guardsman to look at him "Turles…you have to stop him…" he urged, his eyes laced with determination "if he eats the fruit…"

"The only thing that TRAITOR is going to eat is my FIST when I catch up to him." Raditz swore, looking down at his prince with a softening expression "Rest assured my prince, I'll remind that grey-skinned throw-back what it means to be a Saiyan!"

"Will you now?" Turles' mocking tone asked from behind, Raditz's eyes widening as his scouter sounded, far to late, detecting the elites energy signature right BEHIND him, his Father's Brother smirking as he powered up a blast of purple ki "By all means…do TRY!"

Raditz cursed, knowing that he couldn't dodge properly without putting the prince in danger, the Saiyan guardsman wrapping his massive arms around his injured charge, shielding him with his own body from the blast that Turles rammed into his back, loosing a scream of agony as the blast tore through his armour and bodysuit, scorching the muscles on his back as he careened towards the ground below, desperately managing to turn himself over so that he took the brunt of the impact with his shoulder, only to lose his grip on Tarble as they rolled across the barren ground, coming to a halt flat on his face, his wounded, smoking back aimed up at the sky.

* * *

_On the ground... _

"Ra…Raditz…!" Tarble stammered, the winded prince reaching for his wounded guardsman in desperation, his eyes wide with terrified disbelief when the elder Saiyan didn't respond "No…speak to me…Raditz-!"

"How pathetic." Turles muttered, smirking as he dropped down, his foot stamping on the wounded guardsman's back, much to Tarble's horror "Low-level or not, you're still a Saiyan my nephew, and no Saiyan would EVER lift a hand against their own blood unless they have the strength to back it up."

"Leave him alone!" Tarble snapped, glaring venomously up at the grey-skinned elite as he slowly dragged himself towards them, forcing himself onto his knees as he went "He can't…fight anymore…!"

"That's where you're wrong, PRINCESS." Turles countered, smirking down at the wounded prince even as he continued to stamp on his nephew's wounded body "You see, unlike you, Raditz is a TRUE Saiyan, one that knows how to keep fighting even if it means putting his own life at risk…to find the STRENGTH beneath the PAIN."

He smirked, looking down at his nephew's grimacing face, a devious light appearing in his eyes as he uncrossed his arms "Now then…" he muttered, his features lighting up as a ball of energy appeared in his palm "What say we have a little fun?"

"That light…" Turles exclaimed, the wounded prince looking upon the innocent little sphere of energy in alarm, knowing from experience exactly WHAT it was, and what it would mean if Turles actually used it "It can't be!"

"Au contraire, little Princess…" Turles countered, sneering at the prince as he continued to press down on Raditz's wound "It CAN be, and it IS: my little Brother Bardock's pride and joy…" he smirked as Tarble's eyes widened in horror "Oh, I see you KNOW what this little ball does…saves me the explanation then!"

That said, he reared his arm back and hurled the little sphere into the air, clenching his fingers together when it reached the appropriate height, causing the sphere to detonate, mixing with the planet's atmosphere, creating a giant, glowing sphere of light in the sky.

"I'll give baby brother one thing," Turles scoffed, smirking to himself as he lowered his hand to his side "He wasn't much of a fighter, but he had one HELL of a tactical mind." He sneered down at Raditz "Too bad his brat didn't pick up anything…must've taken after the wench that dropped you."

Raditz snarled, one eye snapping open to glare up at his uncle, only to grimace as the grey-skinned elite kicked him in the stomach, grabbing his head as he rose into the air and spinning him round so that his fingers held his eyes open.

"That's it…" Turles sneered, holding his wounded Nephew up, his face aimed towards the glowing sphere in the sky "Get a good eyeful! Let's see that monster inside!"

Raditz cursed, trying to shut his eyelids, feeling them begin to tear under the pressure as Turles held them open, only to stiffen, his eyes going vacant as the light coming off the energy ball mesmerized him, Tarble's cries for him to look away falling on deaf ears as the Saiyan began to CHANGE, his fangs slowly lengthening as his face expanded outwards to form a snout, his muscles bulging, his damaged armour shattering under the pressure of his expanding torso, leaving him with only his waist guards, which expanded along with the rest of him, Turles releasing his grip on the beast, launching an energy ball into the air to destroy the artificial moon.

"Can't have me going ape as well…" he mused, smirking down at the scene below, as the massive maned Oozaru loosed a terrifying roar that echoed across the valley, a stunned Tarble looking upon his guardian's transformation in terrified awe "How very ironic," the Saiyan elite mused, sneering down at the prince, his arms crossed before him "The very man you trusted with your life…shall be the one to TAKE it from you!"

* * *

Kyugan: Uh-oh, this isn't looking good.  
Ayeka: To Ryoko: DON'T say it.  
Ryoko: *holding Tenchi* say what?  
Ayeka: I KNOW you Ryoko, do NOT say it.  
Washu: Say what dear? That Turles is making a monkey of us?  
Ayeka: D'ARGH!

Play: Intro to Finale and Conclusion.

_Turles has unleashed the beast within!_  
Ryoko: Leave the kid alone you big ape!  
Daiz: I think you should worry more about yourself!  
_Earth's Fate hangs in the balance!_  
Ayeka: His Tail! If we cut off his tail, he'll change back to normal!  
Turles: That's enough interference from you!  
_The Saiyan Turles makes his move!_  
Turles: So THIS is the first Princess of Jurai…not bad at all…  
Ayeka: You Brute!  
_Can the Girls hold him off on their own?_  
Ryoko: Care to dance, monkey-boy?  
Turles: I've never been one to refuse a woman…Especially not hot ones!  
_And what of Tenchi? Can he sooth the savage beast's temper?_  
Tenchi: I Can't…hold out…much longer…  
_Find out next time, on Saiyan Muyo!_

_

* * *

_

* * *

_With Turles..._


	9. Chapter 9

Tenchi: *Still having a panic attack*

Ryoko: *Kittysmile as she nuzzles him*

Washu: So cute.

Ayeka: Hello! How can you be so calm when I'm about to be squished by a giant monkey!

Washu:... *waits expectantly* Oh, you really MEANT a Giant monkey?

Ayeka: What did you think I meant?

Raditz: Never you mind. *Holds out jerky* Peta-Jerky?

Ayeka: I didn't know they did jerky.

Washu: They don't, and should you REALLy be eating that in front of Tenchi.

Raditz: I offered to share.

Washu: *Sighs as Tenchi's screams increase* That explains so : I'll go get Sasuke's full body condom

* * *

Chapter 8: No Need for a Great Ape!

"What the heck?" Washu exclaimed, the redhead genius and mother of Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki recoiling from her laptop in shock as sparks erupted from the monitor "What the hell's going on?"

"I didn't do it!" Mihoshi insisted, the blonde Kuramitsu, used to being the one blamed whenever Washu's inventions started acting weird, covering her head defensively, tears in her eyes.

"I KNOW you didn't, Mihoshi-dono…" Washu sighed, eyeing the blonde detective in exasperation as she tried to calm her device down "Still, something BIG just turned up out there…"

"Is it…the tree?" Yosho queried, the Juraian prince looking decidedly worse for wear as his strength continued to fade, a concerned Sasami sitting at his side, holding his hand.

"No…" Washu muttered, her brows furrowing as she pursed her lips in thought "Though the tree IS getting stronger. No, whatever this is, it's power level literally EXPLODED a few seconds ago…"

"Are Tenchi-niichan and the others going to be alright?" Sasami wondered, looking up at the redhead in concern, only for Washu to shake her head in uncertainty.

* * *

_Back at the Shinseijuu..._

Oozaru Raditz threw his head back and roared, the massive, maned great ape glaring at it surroundings, eyes burning crimson as it looked for something, anything, to take it's primal rage out on, eyes landing on the wounded form of Tarble below.

"Oh no you don't!" Ryoko snapped, the cyan haired space pirate leaping out of the woodwork to distract the beast, having managed to give Amond the slip once again, "Leave the kid alone you big ape!"

"I think you should worry more about yourself!" Daiz sneered, reappearing alongside Cacao, their armour mildly scorched from Ryoko's last attack, loosing twin bolts of energy on the pirate from on high "DIE!"

Ryoko cursed, bracing herself from the blast, having honestly expected the two to be flash fried by now, only to blink as a barrier rose around her, looking round to see Ayeka standing at her back, the princess arms held wide as she shielded them from the assault.

"Looks like we're even." Ayeka noted, the elder princess of Jurai smiling despite her rugged appearance, earning a wry smirk of approval from a grateful Ryoko.

"Sure, I'll give you that one." The pirate allotted, smirking at Ayeka's frown, only to leap into the air once the barrier dropped, her hands held out between a stunned Cacao and Daiz "But this one's the tie-breaker!"

Loosing a stream of power from each hand, Ryoko sent Turles' henchmen flying in both directions, their screams cutting off as the blasts rammed them into the surrounding countryside.

"Now YOU owe ME one." Ryoko snorted, smirking down at the fuming form of Ayeka, who was cursing the face she hadn't thought of that first, only to grimace as the Great Ape, drawn by the sound of battle, howled at them in murderous rage "Hold that thought princess…here comes tiny!"

Ayeka turned, all her faculties abandoning her as she gaped up at the massive, maned Oozaru in outright terror, unable to help recalling the tales of her childhood concerning the marauding, mindless monsters that were quite capable of tearing a planet apart with their bare hands.

It had been terrifying simply HEARING about them then, back when she'd been a little girl, it was another matter entirely to find one looming over her like a mountain on legs.

"Move it!" Ryoko snapped, grabbing her Rival by the collar and blasting into the air, scant seconds before a hairy fist smashed into the ground behind them, the Oozaru roaring it's fury as it quickly gave chase "Man that monkey can move!"

"Ryoko-!" Ayeka choked out gripping at her collar in a bid to give herself room to breathe, tugging on the pirates arm as she did so "Above! He's above us!"

"Wha?" Ryoko wondered, only to blink as a massive shadow fell over them, looking up only to curse as she saw the maned ape descending on them from on high, it's massive legs having propelled it across the distance in no time "Shit! Hold on!"

Shifting Ayeka to her arms, much to the princess' relief, as she'd begun to turn blue beneath her grey war paint, Ryoko quickly changed gears, flying down towards the ground, only to shoot between the Oozaru's legs as it landed, the massive ape looking between them in confusion, only to lose it's balance, falling flat on it's back, leg's waving in the air comically.

"HAH!" Ryoko cackled, the space pirate setting Ayeka down near the roots as they watched the oversized simian howl it's displeasure "What a maroon!"

"Ayeka! Ryoko!" Tenchi called out, the quarter Juraian racing up to the duo with a look of concern, having recovered most of his energy from the fight with Raditz "What's going on?"

"Tenchi-sama!" Ayeka exclaimed, the princess taking in the teen's battered appearance with a look of concern "Oh no! What did that brute do to you?"

"It's nothing." Tenchi assured her, waving a hand dismissively "Raditz just took a little convincing before he'd listen to what I had to say…" he looked around in confusion "where is he anyways?"

"Give ya three guesses…" Ryoko muttered, thumbing in the direction of the maned Oozaru, who was still roaring in anger as it tried to get up "And the first two don't count."

"But…the moon isn't out!" Tenchi stammered, the quarter-Juraian looking up at the sky in alarm, only to find it mostly obscured by the Shinseijuu's monstrous canopy "How could he-?"

"That wanker Turles did something that created an artificial moon." Ryoko supplied, ignoring Ayeka's admonishing look for her language "Damn…forgot certain Saiyans could do that…"

"How could you forget the fact the Saiyans don't NEED a moon to transform?" Ayeka snapped, glaring at the pirate angrily, rightfully believing such information should've been available from the beginning.

"I SAID only certain types could use it!" Ryoko snapped, the pirate glaring at the princess in annoyance "Most of them couldn't! So I didn't give it any thought!"

"Uh…girls…?" Tenchi stammered, the quarter-Juraian looking decidedly nervous as he interposed himself between the pair, the two of them following his extended finger only to find Oozaru Raditz looming overhead, looking positively MURDEROUS.

"SHIT!" Ryoko swore, shoving Ayeka and Tenchi off to the side as she leapt into the air, intent of leading the oversized simian AWAY from her true love, only to yelp as a massive palm slapped her out of the air.

* * *

_With Tenchi... _

"Ryoko!" Tenchi exclaimed, the quarter-Juraian looking on in horror as Ryoko's limp body crashed into one of the roots, before falling bonelessly to the ground "No!"

"Tenchi-sama!" Ayeka called out, gripping her beloved by the front of his Jurai battle armour to keep him from racing to the pirates aid, though she too was concerned for her rival's safety.

"Let me go!" Tenchi ordered, the teen's face a mask of concerned anger as he struggled to get past his Grandfather's Half-Sibling "Ryoko needs help!"

"I want to help too!" Ayeka assured him, surprising herself with the admittance "But there's a better way to do it than fighting it outright!"

Tenchi paused, looking down at the First princess of Jurai in confusion, torn between his desire to help Ryoko and his wanting to learn more "What do we do?"

"His Tail!" Ayeka insisted, pointed at the Oozaru's lower back, where it's massive tail swung freely, unrestricted "According to the stories, if we cut off his tail, he'll change back to normal!"

"His tail?" Tenchi repeated, looking at her in confusion, before turning to stare at the Oozaru as it advanced on Ryoko's limp form, pounding on its chest ferally his features. 'Well…Why not?' he muttered, his features settling into a determined scowl as he clutched the Tenchi-ken in his right hand 'Cutting of Ryoko's gems makes her less dangerous…I just hope Raditz isn't the type to hold a grudge…'

"Alright let's do it!" he agreed, nodding towards Ayeka as they charged forwards, bouncing off the roots of the Shinseijuu to provide themselves with some form of cover in case Turles and his lackeys tried anything, Ayeka taking the lead while Tenchi snuck around the back.

"Over here you reprobate!" the princess yelled, launching a blast of Jurai energy at the creatures face, the Oozaru roaring in pained fury as the blast blinded it, turning it's attention from the prone form of Ryoko to snarl at the princess "That's it! Come and meet your maker!"

The Oozaru's response was to open it's mouth, Ayeka's features paling beneath her grey war paint as she saw a light glow at the back of it's throat, recognizing the attack for what it even as the Oozaru launched the beam of energy from it's mouth.

"MYAH~!" a voice yowled, Ayeka's eyes widening as Ryo-Ohki, in spaceship form, flew into the path of the beam, the ship taking the blast meant for the princess, the beam dissipating around the edges of it's energy shields.

"Thank you, Ryo-Ohki!" the princess offered, earning a weary 'Myah' in response, as apparently even Ryo-Ohki hadn't expected the monster's attack to be THAT strong .

"That's enough interference from you!" a voice roared, the princess turning just in time for a man in Saiyan armour to launch a blast of purple energy at the ship, Ryo-Ohki's pained cries filling the air as she was blasted out of the sky, crashing into the ground just behind the great ape.

* * *

_With Ayeka... _

"Ryo-Ohki!" Ayeka exclaimed, looking on in horror as the ground caved in beneath the ship, taking the roaring Oozaru with it "Oh no! Tenchi-sama!" she exclaimed, looking around in alarm, realizing that her beloved must've been caught in the cave-in as well.

"I'd worry about myself if I were you." A dark voice muttered, the princess turning, only to choke as the same, spiky haired man from before loomed behind her, grabbing her by the throat and holding her up off the ground "So THIS is the first Princess of Jurai…" he noted, smirking as he looked the struggling Ayeka up and down, his tone laced with mocking approval "Not bad…not bad at all…"

"You brute!" Ayeka snarled, the princess lashing out with a fistful of Jurai energy, only to grimace as the Saiyan caught it in his palm without seeming to flinch.

"And so FIERY too!" the man applauded, smirking darkly as he eyed the captive princess with approval "I must admit, I wasn't expecting someone of YOUR noble lineage on this dirt ball…" his smirk widened "How very…advantageous…"

"You…" Ayeka grimaced, glaring angrily up at the man, cursing herself for getting into these situations, even as she tried to pull her fist out of his grip "You're Turles…aren't you?"

"My reputation precedes me…" Turles chuckled, smirking darkly as his tail uncoiled itself to trail behind him "Indeed, I am Turles, Mightiest of the Saiyan Warriors."

"Why are you doing this?" Ayeka demanded, glaring up at the brute of a Saiyan with a look of distaste "Tarble…your own prince…why would you turn your back on him?"

"Are you REALLY the one to talk when it comes to shirking one's duties, princess?" Turles demanded, smirking as Ayeka grimaced "Really, gallivanting on this backwater planet when you SHOULD be thinking about how best to succeed your father as heir…and they say SAIYANS know nothing of loyalty."

"Don't you DARE compare me to YOU, you ANIMAL!" Ayeka snarled, glaring up at her captor, only to grimace as Turles threw his head back and laughed at the insult.

"Animal am I?" Turles sneered, grinning darkly as he looked her in the eyes "Well I suppose you have me there, we Saiyans DO tend to run a little WILD…" he smirked down at the crater below "Just ask my nephew…a little moonshine and we just can't help ourselves."

"Tenchi-sama will stop him!" Ayeka countered, the princess glaring defiantly up at the grey-skinned Saiyan, her pink laced with confidence in her self-proclaimed betrothed's abilities.

"Oh I doubt that, Princess." Turles countered, sneering confidently "You see, power level aside, Raditz was born a low-level warrior." He smirked at her look of confusion "Unlike we elites, low-class Saiyans lose their reason in Oozaru form, they become mindless killing machines, BUILT for destruction." He smirked at the hole, as the Oozaru's roar echoed up from below "In that form, NOTHING can stand against them."

"No!" Ayeka countered, fear and concern for her beloved replacing her confidence from before as she struggled to break out of the grey-skinned Saiyan's faultless grip "Tenchi-sama! Tenchi-sama!"

"Oh, was that boy your lover then, princess?" Turles demanded, a hint of amusement in his tone as he watched her struggle "Such poor taste, but then I suppose condolences are in order, maybe Raditz will choke on him and rid us of BOTH our problems."

Ayeka glared at the Saiyan, wishing she could blast him into little pieces, only to blink as his the hand around her throat shifted to cup her chin, almost tenderly.

"Still," Turles noted, smirking at the princess, his grip on her fist less intense as he looked into her eyes "if it's a MAN you're after Princess, then why not come with me?" he smirked at her look of surprise "Once this planet has served it's course, there will be little reason for you to stay. If you come with me, tour the galaxies, eating the finest foods, drink the finest wines, a queen without equal throughout the Universe."

"Don't be absurd!" Ayeka snarled, the princess glaring at the Saiyan as she hung in his grip, her pink eyes blazing with disgust "I'd sooner die than become some Saiyan's tramp!"

"Such confidences…" Turles chuckled, his tone laced with condescension, even as his grip on her fist tightened once again, causing the princess to gasp in agony "I'm going to ENJOY breaking you out of that stubborn streak…"

So saying, he twisted his grip, Ayeka letting out a scream as her arm broke with a sickening crack that caused Turles no end of enjoyment, only for the Saiyan to scowl, sidestepping a blast of orange energy from behind that would've taken his head off.

"Well now…" Turles muttered, the Grey-skinned uncle of Raditz turning his head to glare at the cyan haired woman that had hurled the offending blast of energy "Still alive are we?"

"And ready for seconds." Ryoko sneered, one arm holding her ribs as she panted for breath, blood lining her lips and brow from the blow she'd taken earlier "Care to dance, monkey-boy?"

"I've never been one to refuse a woman…" Turles sneered, bracing himself as Ryoko lunged at him, sword at the ready, only to rear his arm back and hurl Ayeka at the space pirate "Especially not hot ones!"

Ryoko cursed, her sword vanishing as she caught Ayeka, the impact of the blow sending them crashing backwards into the ground. "Damn!" she swore, shoving the princess off her, ignoring her rival's cries of agony as she clutched her broken arm "Where'd he go?"

"Up here." Turles mocked, the Saiyan appearing before them, palm extended, Ryoko eyes widening in alarm just before the blast of purple Ki enveloped her, turning the world white.

* * *

_Meanwhile..._

'Why does this always happen to me?' Tenchi wondered morosely, the quarter-Juraian kicking his legs desperately as he swam upwards through the murky water towards the dim light that seemed to be just out of reach.

When the ground had collapsed beneath him, Tenchi had honestly thought his goose was cooked, as even if he survived the fall, he doubted he'd survive being squashed beneath a giant monkey or an alien spaceship.

Fortunately, being smaller than the aforementioned monkey and Ryo-Ohki, Tenchi had fallen into the cavern last, and so had been fortunate enough to see the chamber contained a small lake, though his relief soon gave way to pain as he slammed face first into it.

'Good thing I had my shield or I'd have broken every bone in my body.' He muttered, his lungs burning for air as he kicked towards the surface, clutching the wounded form in his arms tightly to his chest.

When he'd first opened his eyes, it was to find the damaged hulk of Ryo-Ohki looming over him, the space ship's mournful cries echoing through the water as pieces of it drifted away. When he'd reached out for it, the ship had glowed, returning to its familiar, cuddly Cabbit form, which Tenchi had scooped into his arms before kicking furiously towards the surface.

'Hang on Ryo-Ohki…' he urged the Cabbit, holding onto her with one arm as he used the other to claw his way upwards, his head breaking through the water with a gasp, taking in a sweet lungful of air, before bringing the wounded Cabbit up, wincing as he eyed the blood trailing down her flank.

The damage was worse than he'd thought, Ryo-Ohki's entire right flank looked like it had been skinned and burned, the wound itself didn't look too bad, but it was bleeding freely, staining her fur a rusty red.

"This is bad…" the teen muttered, grimacing as the little Cabbit managed to mewl weakly, licking his thumb in greeting, his features hardening as he kicked his legs to keep them afloat, eyeing the subterranean chamber around them desperately "Need to get you out of here…back to Ryoko or Washu-!"

He trailed off, blinking as something caused the water around him to rise, looking down only for his eyes to widen as something HUGE loomed up beneath him, gaping in horror as a set of massive, glowing crimson eyes rose out of the water.

He made to swim for shore, nothing on his mind save getting Ryo-Ohki out of danger, only to stagger as his foot brushed against what he first thought was solid ground. However, such thoughts proved false, as the 'ground' continued to rise alongside the eyes, Tenchi looking on in horror as he realized he was standing in centre of the Great Ape's palm, looking up at the maned monster in horror as it rose out of the water like something out of a Kaijuu movie.

'Now I know how Sun Wukong felt…' Tenchi muttered, gaping up at the massive form of his opponent, idly wondering if the Monkey King had felt this insignificant before Buddha, only to curse, bringing his shields up to bear as the fingers closed around him, holding Ryo-Ohki against his chest as he held the other arm out, trying to keep the giant fist from crushing them.

'No good…' he muttered, a vein threatening to burst on his brow as he clenched his teeth, feeling the strain on the barrier within his very bones as it began to buckle, the massive fingers drawing ever closer as the Great Ape raged at their ongoing defiance 'I Can't…hold out…much longer…'

"Raditz STOP!" a voice called out, Tenchi's eye opening in shock, looking up, along with the Oozaru, to see a small, wounded figure hovering in the air before them, gripping his wounded shoulder.

'Tarble…Kun…?' Tenchi wondered, looking up at the Saiyan prince in concern, noting that he looked like he'd been roughed up pretty badly 'No…get out of here!'

"Raditz…" Tarble called out, one eye closed, the other half shut with the strain of keeping his wounded body in the air "It's me…" he called out, looking the maned Oozaru right in the eyes "Don't you recognize me?"

The Oozaru snarled, the hands wrapped around Tenchi tightening as it bared it's fangs at the Prince, Tenchi grimacing as he struggled to keep the barrier in place.

"You were…always there for me…" Tarble continued, his voice gentle, soothing, almost as if he were trying to REASON with the monster his guardsman had become "No matter how hard things got…no matter how badly I screwed up…you never abandoned me…never told me I was worthless."

The Oozaru growled, but it was a lower one, it's great brows furrowing as it closed it's mouth, though it still bared it's fangs.

"Even my own father…didn't think much of me…" Tarble continued, looking the giant ape in the eyes "If it weren't for you…I'd probably have been sent off world alone…or handed to Frieza on a platter…"

'Tarble-kun?' Tenchi wondered, blinking as he felt the pressure on the barrier relinquish somewhat, looking up to see the great ape's features twitching, as if it were suffering from indigestion, or some other internal discomfort.

"It never mattered to me…that you were born a low-class warrior…" Tarble insisted, looking increasingly more haggard as he hovered before the beast "I never…thought of you as such…" he smiled at the beast "You were…the first…and only friend…I ever had…"

The great apes eyes furrowed, a curious expression crossing it's features as it glared at the little thing hovering before it's snout, it's growl now limited to inside it's throat, only for it's eyes to widen as Tarble's eyes closed, the Saiyan Prince falling out of the air.

"Tarble-Kun!" Tenchi exclaimed, looking on in horror as the Saiyan Prince fell out of the air, his energy evidently spent, only to blink as the hands gripping his barrier suddenly vanished, the Quarter Juraian dropping to the water below with a yelp, fortunately landing in the shallows, looking down at Ryo-Ohki to ensure she was alright, before gaping up at the sight above him.

The Great Ape, with a tenderness that was almost awe-inspiring, had caught the falling prince in it's outstretched palms and was staring at him, it's brows furrowed as it loosed a low, almost gentle growl.

"What on earth?" Tenchi wondered, looking up at the maned beast that, not two seconds ago, had been trying to smash everything in its path to shreds. Right now, looking up at the beast, he could STILL feel as though it could explode at any minute, but for some reason, all the malice and rage that had predominated it's every movement was gone.

Then, slowly, the ape began to change, Tenchi looking on in wonderment as the fur began to recede, the muscle to shrink, the great, gaping maw slowly shrinking back into it's face, until Raditz stood, bare-chested from the waist up, his prince held in his arms, and a solemn expression on his face.

* * *

Kyugan: And Emotional Moment for the win!

Washu: Tarlbe-Kun's ten times cuter than any purple dragon!

Tarble: *Blushing* Ano...

Tenchi: *Still having a panic attack*

Ryoko: Any more of that jerky left?

Turles: Sorry, finished it all.

Ayeka: What are YOU doing here? Get out!

Turles: That's not what you said during the commercials.

Washu: *Sighs as Ayeka flushes magenta* TMI.

Next time, on Saiyan Muyo!

_Tarble's words have reached the warrior within to tame the Beast Without!_

Raditz: Tarble-sama...

_But is it in time to save the earth?_

Turles: Don't tell me You've had enough?

Ryoko: F-!-ck you!

_Unlikely Allies Unite!_

Raditz: How far do you plan to disgrace our Race, Turles?

Amond: Turles-sama, Please, allow US to deal with them.

_The enemy have powered up!_

Amond: Turles-sama has allowed us to sample some of the Shinseijuu's fruit…

Daiz: That Mouth of yours gets shut today!

_But so have our heroes._

Raditz: A little power snack and they think they can take ME?

Turles: I'm going to be VERY vexed if you LOSE.

_Can Tenchi and Raditz defeat Turles?_

Turles: You think you can face ME, BOY?

Raditz: Stay back brat, this is a battle between saiyans.

Tenchi: The HELL it is!

_Find out next time, on Saiyan Muyo!_


	10. Chapter 10

Well it seems things are coming to a climax!

Momotaros: That's my tagline teme-!

Kyugan: GAH! *looks up to see the Imajin standfing behind him* What the hell are YOU lot doing here?

Momotaros: I came to demand what the hell's taking so long with MY fic?om

Urataros: You mean OUR fic, Sempai.

Momotaros: Whatever! What's taking so long teme?

Urataros: It isn't good to keep stringing the readers along.

Kintaros: You'll make them cry!

Ryutaros: You got an answer? I can't hear you!

Washu: chillax, christmas is coming up, he'll have access to the vids by then.

Raditz: Maybe he'll remember to bring 'em with him next time.

Kyugan: I make no promises...roll camera!

* * *

Chapter 9: No Need for Forbidden Fruit!

"Tarble-sama…" Raditz muttered, the Saiyan Guardsman looking down at the prince, heedless of his surroundings, his features torn between shame and anger as he took in his prince's wounds "What have I done…?"

"It wasn't your fault." Tenchi assured him, walking up to the massive Saiyan warily, realizing that Raditz blamed HIMSELF for Tarble's current condition, even as the Guardsman turned to look at him "Turles used you…used BOTH of you, to get what he wanted."

"Turles…" Raditz growled, his features shifting into a n angry, murderous scowl as he recalled his Uncle's betrayal, the guardsman grip on his Prince's shoulder tightening "I'll kill that treacherous son of a bitch!"

"Get in line." Tenchi muttered, the quarter-juraian nodding his head in understanding, only to grimace as Ryo-Ohki released feeble mewls from her spot in his arms "But we need to get him out of here first." He insisted, reaching out for the Saiyan's shoulder

Raditz stepped back, levelling a glare at the quarter-Juraian that could've caused a star to implode. Frieza, with all his forces armed with crowbars and a tub of grease, could not have wrested the Saiyan's prince from his arms.

"Easy!" Tenchi assured him, backing up a step and holding up his hand to show he meant no harm to either of them "I'm just saying we need to get those wounds treated…if we just leave them like that it could get worse!"

"And THAT'S where I come in!" a cheerful voice noted, the two men leaping into the air, Tenchu whipping round to find a grinning Washu standing behind him, decked out in a pair of grey pants and a green jacket "Yo!"

"Washu-san!" Yosho's heir apparent exclaimed, eyeing the redheaded scientist in alarm, understandabl really, while Raditz glared at her with suspicious hostility "How'd you get here?"

"Well you see, Tenchi-dono, when a man and a woman love each other very much…" Washu began, grinning shamelessly as the teen's face lit up in embarrassment "All kidding aside, Ryoko isn't the only one who can teleport you know." She pointed out, one hand on her hips, the other held out to the teen "Now enough chit-chat, hand her over."

Tenchi blinked, before doing as commanded and placing Ryo-Ohki into the capable hands of her creator, the redhead frowning as she took in the state of the Cabbit's injuries, before summoning her laptop with her other hand.

"Good thing I came when I did…" Washu muttered, her fingers blurring as two small robots popped out of nowhere, taking the injured Cabbit off her hands and bandaging her wounds "She'll live, but she's gonna be outta action for a while."

"Thank goodness…" Tenchi sighed, looking on relief as the robots disappeared back through the wormhole they popped out of, no doubt carrying Ryo-Ohki back to Washu's lab to recuperate.

"Now for my other patient…" Washu noted, turning her attention to the Saiyan pair, her eyes roaming over Raditz's bristling frame with open approval "Hm, so you're Raditz then?" she chuckled ominously "My, my…Tarble-kun didn't tell me you were so…BIG…"

"Who the devil IS this child?" Raditz demanded, shifting his glare from the chuckling redhead to the nervous Tenchi, the Saiyan feeling more than a little uncomfortable with the former's prying gaze.

"The name's Hakubi Washu," Washu responded, grinning up at the Saiyan as she stood with her hand on her hip, the other offering a pert salute with two fingers "Nice to meet'cha, big boy."

"Are all the females on your planet this…disturbing?" Raditz demanded of Tenchi, averting his eyes from the posing redhead, only to scowl at the Juraian teen's defeated sigh "You have my condolences-WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE TOUCHING?"

"Aw c'mon~!" Washu pouted, looking on in amusement as Raditz recoiled as if bitten from her fondling the base of his tail "I was just checking for damages…I've never studied a full grown Saiyan before…"

"I'm not some lab animal you idiotic little brat!" Raditz snarled, his features lined with anger as he wrapped his tail around his waist "So keep your hands to yourself!"

"Idiot?" Washu repeated, looking insulted, much to Tenchi's horror "Who are you calling an idiotic little brat? I'll have you know I'm the Greatest Scientific Genius in the universe!"

"And I'm the Queen of all Saiyans." Raditz sneered, clearly not believing a word of the redhead's claim "Look brat," he muttered, turning his head to the side as he scoffed "I don't care WHO you are, I'm not trusting my prince to some underdeveloped whelp with mental problems."

"Underdeveloped?" Washu repeated, Raditz turning back to sneer at the redhead, only for his eyes to bulge out of their sockets at the sight of an older, well developed woman standing where the redhead used to be, wearing the exact same clothes, which strained to contain her impressive figure "You're calling THIS underdeveloped, monkey-boy?"

"I…Wha…how…?" Raditz stammered, gaping at the voluptuous beauty before him, at a complete loss for words as she sashayed towards him, his back pressing up against the wall even as she leaned close, a confident smile on her face.

"Relax, little boy…" Washu teased, tracing a manicured nail against the Saiyan's bare chest as she leant in, her breath tickling his ear, practically cheek to cheek with him "I don't bite…not unless you LIKE that kind of stuff…"

Raditz shivered, completely unused to THIS kind of situation, only to blink as the mane of red hair vanished, looking around only to find Washu, in child form once again, overseeing the same robots as they carried Tarble off with them through the wormhole. "Now that that's out of the way…" the redhead noted, dusting off her hands with an accomplished smile, only to turn serious as she eyed the two "You two need to hurry, the Shinseijuu's already broken through the barrier I placed around it…it's gathering more energy from the planet as we speak."

"Damn!" Tenchi swore, the teen staring down at his clenched fist helplessly at the revelation "I thought we'd have a little more time!" he exclaimed, berating himself for his failure.

"You did the best you could, Tenchi-dono." Washu assured the teen, looking up at him reassuringly, though with a commanding expression "But the game's not over yet, either we finish the tree here and now, or the earth is doomed."

"Got it…" Tenchi muttered, his features hardening as he prepped himself for a renewed assault on the tree and it's alien defenders, turning to Raditz as he spoke "You up for this?"

"A true Saiyan is ALWAYS ready for battle." Raditz shot back, crossing his arms before his chest with a scowl "But don't mistake me, I'm only doing this for Tarble-sama and to get back at Turles, I could care LESS about this world or you people."

"Typical Saiyan…" Washu snorted, the redhead shaking her head as she shrugged, a wry, knowing smirk adorning her face "Can't admit they have a shred of decency in them."

"Just you make sure no harm comes to my prince woman…" Raditz growled, glaring down at the redhead, irked at his earlier embarrassment "If so much as a HAIR is missing when I get back…"

"Yes, yes, 'prepare to die!', 'pain and suffering!' 'all your asses are belong to us'…" Washu muttered, waving a hand dismissively, only to toss the pair what appeared to be a small pill each "Here, it's a multi-vitamin I invented, it'll heal you up nice and quickly for your big fight." She smirked at Tenchi's look of apprehension "Relax, I tested them on Ryoko, no side-effects."

"Thanks Washu." Tenchi offered, sweatdropping at the idea of Ryoko being forced to endure countless experiments, downing the pill in one go, grimacing at the taste, only to sigh with relief as energy seemed to flow through him, all his bruises and pains just fading away "Wow…works fast!"

"Doesn't it though?" Washu grinned, beaming up at her guinea pig, only to frown as she found Raditz eyeing his pill warily "What's the matter tough guy? You scared of a little pill?" she kitty-smiled "Or maybe you want me to administer it mouth to mouth?"

"Vulgar little…" Raditz growled, glaring down at the unrepentant redhead, tossing the pill into his mouth and swallowing it down, only to blink as his wounds faded away and new strength roared through him "Whoa…quite the cure…"

"Isn't it though?" Washu grinned, suddenly appearing behind the pair, spanking them encouragingly on the ass, causing them to take to the air in flight "Now get on out there and show those freaks not to mess with Earth!"

"Why I oughta-!" Raditz snarled, rubbing his stinging ass-cheek through what remained of his bodysuit, a mortified flush adorning his face as he took to the air alongside an equally violated Tenchi, "This isn't over you witch!"

"Good Luck!" Washu teased, waving up at them unrepentantly, only for her features to turn solemn as they took off out of the cave and into the air "Come back safe." she added, almost to herself, before stepping into the wormhole and back into her lab, the portal closing behind her without a trace.

* * *

_Topside..._

"What?" Turles scoffed, holding Ryoko off the ground with one hand around her throat, the Space Pirate hanging limp in the Saiyan's grip "Don't tell me you've had enough?"

"F-Fuck you…" Ryoko snarled, the reformed space pirate's ochre eyes glaring at the Saiyan as she tried to summon energy into her palms, only for it to fade away as he tightened his grip.

"That a last request?" Turles queried, his tone mocking as he looked the pirate's shapely body over with approval "I'll admit the idea DOES sound…appealing…"

"Get stuffed…" Ryoko countered, spitting in the Saiyan's face, only for Turles to ram his fist into her stomach, blood and spit pouring out of her mouth from the blow.

"We'll see how spirited you are after I break you in…" Turles promised, gripping the front of the pirate's battle suit, ripping it off, exposing her breasts and navel to the open air "You certainly outrank the princess at any least…" he noted with a smirk "why with the tail, you might even pass for a Saiyan…let's see if you taste like one, hmm?"

Ryoko grimaced, tears streaming down her eyes as she felt the Saiyans hands fondling that which she'd sworn only Tenchi could, preparing herself to bite the fuckers tongue off as he leaned in for a kiss, only to pause as his scouter sounded.

"What now…" Turles growled, his face lined with irritation as he turned to face the new arrivals, Ryoko's eyes widening as a battered Tenchi and a half-naked Raditz dropped down from the sky above "Well now…what do we have here."

"Ryoko!" Tenchi called out, the teen's eyes widening at the pirate's predicament, taken in the broken, huddling form of Ayeka not too far off "You bastard! What did you do to them?"

"Me?" Turles countered, the elder Saiyan warrior smirking at the quarter-Juraian mockingly "I simply defended myself, surely there's no crime against that on this planet?"

"Right…Self-defence…" Raditz muttered, eyeing Ryoko's naked breasts and battered features with a growl "First treason, and now RAPE?" he demanded, glaring at his uncle accusingly "How far do you plan to disgrace our race, Turles?"

"Disgrace?" Turles repeated, eyeing his younger brother's only offspring, as far as HE knew anyway, with an offended scowl "You accuse ME of disgracing our race? Why don't you look in the mirror?"

"I haven't forgotten my loyalty to the prince." Raditz countered, the Saiyan Guardsman glaring up at his father's brother accusingly, only for Turles to scoff derisively.

"Oh PLEASE." The grey-skinned Saiyan sneered, "You're still pledging your loyalty to that little throwback? Even his own father, the KING, didn't want anything to do with him! He'd have disowned him if it wouldn't have reflected badly on the crown!"

"The King's opinion or not, he is first, and foremost, our Prince." Raditz countered, glaring up at the elder Saiyan accusingly "By raising a hand against him, you betray the very edicts of our people."

"A DEAD people." Turles snorted, turning to face the duo with a sneer "Our entire race was wiped out because it was INFESTED with sentimental weaklings like you." He snorted "Even the KING wasn't immune, he should've put the little embarrassment down at birth when we found out how weak he was, as was the custom."

"You dare…?" Raditz growled, his face a mask of fury as he stepped forwards, the ground cracking beneath him, Tenchi looking on in concern, wondering if he could get Ryoko and Ayeka clear before the fists started flying.

"Turles-sama…" a deep voice muttered, Amond lowering himself slowly between the combatants, a confident smirk adorning his scarred face, even as Cacao and Daiz, who were looking a little singed around the edges, joined him. "Please, let US deal with them."

"You losers stand aside…" Raditz growled, Bardock's son glaring at his Uncle's henchmen alongside Tenchi, his face like a thundercloud "I don't got time to play."

"Don't you look down your nose at us, PUNK!" Amond snarled, only to smirk, Daiz and Cacao chuckling mockingly alongside him "You see, Turles-sama has allowed us to sample some of the Shinseijuu's fruit…"

Raditz scowled, Tenchi stiffening alongside him as the Saiyan glared at the henchmen, noting their increased confidence warily "Really?" the Saiyan wondered, smirking mockingly as he snorted "Well then, looks like we'll see what all the fuss is about."

"That mouth of yours is getting shut today!" Daiz sneered, the green-haired warrior lunging forwards alongside Cacao, the two of them lashing out at Raditz, whose smirk faded as he was actually forced to fend off their blows.

"STAY BACK!" he snarled, glaring at Tenchi, who looked ready to leap into the fray, the Saiyan smirking as he weathered the assault "Huh…looks like you guy's weren't running your mouths off after all…"

That said, he powered up, Amond and Daiz looking on in alarm as their scouters exploded right off their faces, Cacao unleashing a mechanized howl of agony, clamping his gauntleted hands over his face as his optic circuitry shorted out.

"Too bad for you…I don't NEED no stinking piece of produce to power up!" Raditz sneered, lashing out with both hands, blasting Daiz and Cacao point blank in the chests, the cyborg blasting into pieces while Daiz was vaporized entirely.

"Hah!" Raditz snorted, looking at their remains mockingly as he dusted off his hands, "A little power snack and they think they can take ME?" he sneered at Amond as the massive warrior back off "What's the matter butterball? Cramps? Wanna visit the not-so-little girls room?"

"Amond…" Turles called out, the massive warrior freezing at the elder Saiyan's tone, looking over his shoulder to see his leader's scowl "I'm going to be VERY vexed if you lose."

Amond grimaced, looking between the two Saiyans, honestly trying to consider which scared him MORE, only to roar, lunging towards Raditz with his arm reared back, his face a mixture of blind terror and fury as he powered up a blast in his hand.

"Pathetic." Raditz snorted, blurring forwards, ramming his fist into the larger warrior's stomach, literally breaking through the giant's armour and the muscle beneath, causing Amond to freeze in his tracks.

"R-Raditz…" Amond choked out, blood trailing down his massive chin as he gazed down at Turles' nephew desperately "I was just…following orders…"

His words were cut off as Raditz, smirking coldly, fired a blast of energy with his fist still embedded in the giant's stomach, blasting Amond's body to dust on the wind.

* * *

_With Raditz & Tenchi..._

"What a coincidence…" Raditz muttered, the Saiyan guardsman smirking as he ignored Tenchi's look of horrified amazement "So am I."

Turning his head, Bardock's son glared up at his father's brother, who was still standing off to the side, Ryoko held in one hand, Ayeka at his feet "You're the only one left, 'Uncle'." He called out, smirking at the elder Saiyan "Unless you wanna bow your head and surrender like the embarrassment you are?"

"Surrender? ME?" Turles repeated, the Saiyan elite looking down on his brother's son with a look of minor annoyance "You think you stand a chance against ME boy? Unlike those other clowns, I've been repeatedly eating the Shinseijuu's fruit." He smirked as he noticed their looks of discomfort "Right now, the difference in our powers is like Heaven and Earth, I'd DESTROY you."

"We won't know that till we try!" Tenchi countered, the quarter-juraian teen standing alongside Raditz, the Tenchi-ken held at the ready as he glared at the grey-skinned Saiyan.

"Stay back, brat." Raditz growled, the Saiyan guardsman holding a hand out to keep the Juraian teen from getting mixed up in his fight "This is a matter between Saiyans!"

"The hell it is!" Tenchi countered, glaring past Raditz at Turles' smug features "He invaded my planet, endangered countless people and HURT my friends!" he turned his irate glare to Raditz "If anyone's cleaning this guy's clock it's ME!"

Raditz quirked a brow, the guardsman looking his former opponent over, as if seeing him for the first time, before snorting, a wry smirk coming to his features "Huh…and here I thought Juraians didn't believe in such barbaric concepts as revenge."

"I told you before…" Tenchi countered, a smirk of his own coming to his features as he turned his attention back to Turles, who hadn't moved from his spot "I may have Juraian power, but I'm an Earthling."

"That a fact?" Raditz snorted, shaking his head wryly "Now I think of it, you DON'T smell as repugnant as those tree-hugging snobs." He smirked at the teen "Still pretty rank though."

"Like you're one to talk…" Tenchi muttered, the teen returning the Saiyan's wry look, wafting a hand in front of his nose "Nothing smells worse than wet monkey."

"Watch it brat…" Raditz warned, though there was a hint of approval in his tone as he growled at the teen "Once I'm done teaching this traitor a lesson in what it means to be a Saiyan, we still have a score to settle."

"If we're alive to do so." Tenchi muttered, the two warriors smirking at one another one last time, before leaping towards Turles, roaring in unison as they flanked him.

"You fools think you can challenge ME?" Turles demanded, the Saiyan dropping Ryoko on top of Ayeka, before leaping to meet the duo head on, a mocking smirk on his face "BRING IT!"

"GLADLY!" Raditz roared, the two Saiyans clashing in battle, their limbs a literal blur of motion as they blocked, counter-blocked, parried and counter-parried each other's blows, Turles look of confidence changing to surprise as he found himself actually forced to defend himself from his nephew's assault, while Tenchi leapt up into the air.

* * *

_Turles POV..._

"What the devil…?" the grey-skinned Saiyan muttered, a look of intrigue coming over his features, only to curse as his scouter chirped, leaping backwards just in time to avoid being sliced in half vertically by Tenchi, the warriors separating to glare at one another from their respective sides.

'What the hell?' Turles demanded, sweat adorning his features as he glared at the two through his scouter lens 'The boy's power level was only around 18,000, and Raditz only had a level of 20,000 a few moments ago…' he glared at the readings coming off the pair before him 'Now their power is almost TRIPLE that! How'd they accomplish that in such a short amount of time?'

"What's the matter 'Uncle'?" Raditz sneered, the younger Saiyan staring up at his father's brother mockingly "Getting slow in your old age? The brat almost had your head!"

"You haven't beaten me yet brat!" Turles snarled, glaring at the younger Saiyan in defiance of his scouter's readings "That was a lucky shot before…" He lunged forwards once again "It WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN!"

Raditz smirked, leaping into the fray alongside Tenchi, the duo lashing out in almost perfect symmetry, Turles grimacing as he was forced to deflect fists and blade alike as he took to the branches.

'What's with these two?' the grey-skinned Saiyan swore, forced on the defensive once again, much to his fury 'Mere moments ago they were at each others throats…now they're fighting as if they've been at it for years!' he grimaced as he blocked a blow badly with his arm, the bone jarring from the impact 'Not only that, their battle power is skyrocketing!'

Breaking off from his assailants, Turles made a break for the chamber inside the tree, scowling as the duo gave chase, only to smirk as he caught sight of his target, a piece of Fruit, freshly ripened, hanging fat and waiting for him.

Not pausing for a second, his pursuers hot on his tail, Turles leapt upwards, snagging the fruit off the vine as he passed through, leaping out the other side of the tree, before turning to face the brats head on.

* * *

_Raditz & Tenchi..._

"What's the matter Turles?" Raditz demanded, the younger Saiyan smirking at the elder as he hovered in the air alongside Tenchi "Tired of running away like the coward you are?"

"Fool…" Turles mocked, the elder Saiyan smirking down at the duo mockingly as he held up a piece of the fruit he must've snagged during the brief moment he'd escaped their sights "With this, I've already won."

"Hah!" Raditz scoffed, Bardock's son sneering up at his uncle mockingly, arms crossed before his naked chest "Give it a rest! Your little lapdogs ate the fruit as well, it didn't do THEM any good."

"That's because the fruit wasn't ripe yet." Turles countered, smirking down at his nephew as he raised the fruit to his lips "This one however, is ripe for the picking."

"Is that so." Raditz scoffed, sneering up at his uncle with his arms crossed "I say you're bluffing! Go ahead and stuff yourself till your blue in the face, it won't do you any good."

"Your choice…" Turles mocked, the elder Saiyan opening his mouth and taking a long, deliberate bite out of the fruit, chewing it thoroughly under the mocking, wary eyes of his pursuers before swallowing.

Almost immediately, his chest expanded, the muscles on his arms and legs bulging outwards, literally brimming with power, Tenchi and Raditz backing away in alarm as Turles sneered down at them.

"You thought I was strong before?" Turles demanded the grey-toned Saiyan smirking as he crushed the remnants of the fruit between his clenched fist by reflex "You ain't seen NOTHING yet!"

* * *

Ura: Ma...that looks interesting...

Kin: Hmph, My axe wpuld make the tree cry!

Ryuu: Can i have some fruit! I don't need an answer!

Momo: BAKA! You dunno were that's been!

Washu: Besides, last thing we need is you gurs with a power boost.

Momo: I don't need to overripe produce to reach my climax!

Raditz: No, just an author, and he's skipped out.

Momo: Eh? *Sees Kyugan shaped displacement in the air* Kuso-! Get back here Koraa~!

:Intro to begining and End:

_Next time on Saiyan Muyo!_

Turles: Pulse Driver!

_Turles has powered up, and our heroes are getting a beating!_

Turles: Every Living Thing will come to learn the name 'Turles' as their Ruler!

Raditz: Like...hell...!

_A clash of belief and ambition comes to a head._

Raditz: I will not serve...a FALSE KING!

Turles: Then you shall serve a DEAD one!

_Turles' newfound strength seems unmatchable..._

Sasami: Ryoko-neechan...Oneechan...Tenchi-Niichan...Tarble-Kun...I can't feel them anymore!

Turles: Oh? Back for more are you?

_But Earth's Defenders aren't giving up without a fight!_

Turles: I do so enjoy persistent women.

Ryoko: Laugh it up with your buddies in hell!

_Who will be victorius in this climactic battle?_

_Find out next time, on Saiyan Muyo!_

?: I didn't raise no son of mine to be a quitter!

Raditz: O...Oyaji...?


	11. Chapter 11

Final round here folks.

Washu: You ditched the imajin i see.

Kyugan: Lead 'em through a traditonal maid cafe serving pudding.

Washu: Clever.

Kyugan: I thought so. Roll Camera!

* * *

Chapter 10: No Need for a Final Battle!

"You thought I was strong before?" Turles demanded, the grey-toned Saiyan elite sneering at his startled opponents as he crushed the unfinished remnants of the fruit between his clenched fist "You ain't seen NOTHING yet!"

And with that he lunged forwards, Raditz's eyes only beginning to widen as his uncle rammed his fist into the younger Saiyan's face, flipping him backwards through the air to slam into the trunk of the tree.

"Raditz-san!" Tenchi yelled, turning to look at his unlikely comrade in arms, only to curse, his senses screaming at him as Turles came at him for another attack, the massive Saiyan's knee ramming through the teen's guard, burying itself in his stomach, the Saiyan quickly following it up with a savage, double handed blow to the neck that sent him crashing towards the ground below.

"Pulse Driver!" Turles sneered, aiming his hand at the falling teen, unleashing a multitude of purple energy blasts that slammed into Tenchi like a meteor shower, his body smashing into the unforgiving ground, kicking up a massive pillar of dust and debris.

"Good riddance." The Saiyan snorted, smirking down at the resulting chaos, only to twitch his head to the side, Raditz's fist sailing past harmlessly, the younger Saiyan's face a mask of rage as he lashed out at his uncle with renewed vigour.

"Oh give it a rest," Turles mocked, deflecting his nephew's blows with an almost casual ease, ramming his fist into the younger Saiyan's stomach, before kneeing him in the face, "You can't beat me with that level of power." He mocked, grabbing the battered, bloody Saiyan by the hair, holding him up to sneer in his face "With this Fruit, I will become the most powerful warrior the universe has ever seen. And ever living thing will come to learn the name 'Turles' as their ruler." He smirked at the gasping Saiyan "Starting with YOU, dear Nephew."

"Like…hell…!" Raditz spat, the son of Bardock's face covered in blood as he glared up at his uncle, his eyes brimming with defiance that was the staple of any true Saiyan warrior "I'm…Tarble-sama's guard!"

"Still preaching loyalty to that spoiled brat are we?" Turles muttered, his features shifting in annoyance as he scowled down at his brother's son "Well then…it looks like I need to pound some more sense into that head of yours!"

So saying, he released Raditz's hair, ramming his fist into the younger Saiyan's face, before delivering a punishing kick to the spine that sent him crashing into the roots of the tree below. "Is that it?" the grey-skinned Saiyan called out, hovering in the air with his arms crossed, a mocking expression on his face "C'mon now, is that REALLY all the power you've got?"

Raditz's answer took the form of a wordless roar of fury, the younger Saiyan's aura exploding the debris from around him as he rushed up to meet his uncle, only for Turles to dodge, the elder Saiyan flipping almost acrobatically through the air as he lead his nephew on a merry chase around the tree, smirking all the while.

"Hold still dammit!" Raditz snarled, lashing out at his uncle, only to curse as the elder Saiyan disappeared from sight again, forcing him to halt to get his bearings, wishing like hell he had a scouter to warn him of the bastard's position.

"I'm here!" Turles mocked, right before he rammed into his nephew's side slamming him bodily against the Shinseijuu's trunk, before following it up with a kick to the spine, sending him spiralling towards the ground. "Not Yet!" Turles called out, smirking as he raced down past his falling nephew, coming to a halt just shy of the roots, leaping up to meet the falling Saiyan, driving his knee into Raditz's bare stomach with all the force of an ICBM.

Raditz choked, blood and bile spewing from his mouth from the force of the blow, gritting his teeth as Turles removed the offending knee, only to howl as the grey-skinned Saiyan followed the assault up with another double handed blow to the back of the neck, smashing the younger Saiyan into the roots with an almighty crash.

"Now then…" Turles sneered, his foot coming down on his nephew's head, holding the struggling Saiyan in place as he towered over him like a giant "If you want to live, I suggest you kneel before me and beg forgiveness."

"F-Fuck you…!" Raditz grit out, glaring up at his father's brother with a look of loathing despite the pressure bearing down on his skull, which began to creak ominously under the sheer amount of preassure "I…won't bow to you!"

"Don't you understand your situation, nephew?" Turles demanded, smirking down at his brother's son as he increased the pressure on his head "I could have killed you back when we first found you, were you not a kinsman, and here I am offering you the chance to serve as my right-hand man." He smirked "Think about it, the only thing keeping you alive right now is the blood we share in our veins…so what's it going to be, Nephew?"

"You're…no kinsman of mine!" Raditz snarled, clenching his teeth in defiance of the increased pressure, glaring up at his uncle in defiance "I will not serve…a FALSE KING!"

Turles scowled, his smirk giving way to a furious snarl as he stared down at the defiant young Saiyan beneath him "In that case…" he snarled, lifting his head off the younger Saiyan's head, aiming a palm at his back "you can serve a DEAD one!"

Raditz's screams of agony were drowned out by the sounds of numerous ki-blasts ramming into his body.

* * *

_Masaki house... _

"Sasami-chan?" Mihoshi wondered, looking over at the younger princess in concern, the poor girl having suddenly tensed, gripping the neck of her kimono as she gasped for air.

"They're gone…" Sasami whispered, her pretty pink eyes wide with emotion as tears ran down her cheeks "Ryoko-neechan, Ayeka-neechan…Tenchi-Niichan…Tarble-Kun…I can't feel them anymore!"

"Oh no!" Mihoshi exclaimed, her own baby blues filling with tears as she held her hands up to her mouth in concern, looking desperately aound the room for help "What're we gonna do now?"

"Calm down." Washu ordered, the redhead appearing from inside her lab, a concerned frown on her features "They're not gone…or at least Ryoko isn't, my connection with her is still intact." She brought up her computer "The others are fine too, the tracker I placed on everybody shows they've taken quite a beating, but they're all alive and kicking."

"Thank goodness." Mihoshi sighed, the Kuramitsu Detective placing a hand on her heart as she looked up at the redhead genius with a smile "For a minute there, I thought my HAND was gonna leap out of my chest!"

"Mihoshi-neechan…" Sasami muttered, the younger princess and vessel for the first tree of Jurai sweatdropping as the blonde detective once again messed up another saying "I think you mean HEART."

"That too!" Mihoshi chirped, her usual vapid smile in place, earning an exasperated sigh from the two women, while Yosho, who was still resting on the couch, chuckled in amusement at the woman's naivety.

"Still, this DOES leave us in quite a quandary." Washu admitted, the redhead looking over the readings from the tree in concern "At this rate, the entire planet's gonna be over-run in a matter of hours!"

"Should we contact the GXP?" Sasami wondered, the princess turning to glance in Mihoshi's direction for confirmation, only for Washu to shake her head, halting the well-meaning blonde from going for her communicator.

"BAD idea." The redhead countered, her expression stern "The Shinseijuu is such a highly classified secret that in order to keep it that way, the standing order is to have the planet it's on sterilized from orbit.

"But they can't DO that!" Sasami countered, looking at the scientist in horror "There are living people here! The GXP-!"

"Can't do anything about it." Yosho countered, the drained former crown prince's tone final as he raised his head to look at his half-sibling "This goes BEYOND them Sasami, this is a standing directive from the Jurai Empire itself, not even the Grand Marshal of the GXP can over-rule it."

"No…" Sasami breathed, looking at her elder sister's former fiancé in alarm, her hands going up to her mouth "You mean…father…?"

"No…" Yosho countered, shaking his head to reassure her "The directive was made by the FIRST emperor of Jurai. Father is many things, and he's sometimes had to make many cruel, hard decisions in his time, but he has never had to enforce that directive, as no-one has ever dared to usurp the Shinseijuu's powers."

"Until NOW." Washu pointed out, her lips a tight line against her face as she stared at the two royals grimly "Something tells me Azusa won't be ignorant of this for long. Lord only knows Seto-sama's probably already caught word of it."

"I wouldn't be surprised if she did." Yosho admitted, chuckling weakly at the mention of Sasami and Ayeka's maternal great Grandmother, the dreaded 'Onihime' of Jurai, and her infamous information gathering skills. "Still…" he coughed out, smiling confidently towards the setting sun "All we can do now is have faith."

* * *

_At the Tree..._

"Feh," Turles snarled, the grey-skinned Saiyan standing over the still, smoking form of Raditz, the younger Saiyan's screams having trailed off moments ago. "What a disgrace." He muttered, a look of disgust crossing his face, as if he'd stepped in something foul "You brought this on yourself runt, if you'd just toed the line and followed orders like you were supposed to, then you could've avoided all this."

He scowled down at Raditz's unresponsive form, kicking the Saiyan in the flank, getting no response from the younger Saiyan, not even a grunt of agony.

"I thought there was something different about you Raditz, you could have had it all, power, glory…" Turles muttered, his tone laced with disgust "But in the end, you were nothing more than a low-class weakling…just like your father."

"But I'm not like you." He countered, smirking confidently "Using the fruit of the Shinseijuu, I'll bring the whole Universe to it's knees!"

Giving the cooling corpse one last kick for good measure, the grey-skinned Saiyan took to the skies, eyes locked on the canopy ahead, where the fruit of the Shinseijuu awaited him, only to pause, scowling as his scouter went off.

"Oh?" he wondered, turning to face the source of the readings, coming face to face with the battered and bruised forms of Ryoko and Ayeka, the two of them hovering before him with exhausted, yet determined expressions on their faces "Back for more are you?" he chuckled, sneering at the pair "I do SO enjoy persistent women…"

"Keep laughing fucker…" Ryoko growled, plucking a false-gem from her earring and inserting it in her wrist, her battle suit regenerating as she summoned her energy sword with a glare "You can laugh it up with the rest of your buddies in HELL!"

"Really now?" Turles sneered, grinning ferally as the duo lunged in, dodging around Ryoko's strikes, grabbing her hair to pull her up short, before ramming his fist into her stomach with the force of a missile "I'd like to see you try!"

While all this was going on, nobody paid any attention to the still form of Raditz, even as the downed Saiyan's fingers twitched, digging into the bark of the root he lay on.

* * *

_darkness... _

'So cold…' Raditz muttered, the Saiyan guardsman lying facedown on a hard surface, or so he believed, since he couldn't exactly tell up from down at the moment, and the murky blackness wasn't helping matters any.

'Can't see…' he noted, his eyes open but seeing nothing 'Can't feel either…that's weird, was hurting like a bitch not two seconds ago…' he sighed heavily 'Ah hell…what does it matter…' he muttered, his tone dismissive 'least the pain's stopped…maybe now I can get some rest…'

"Sleeping on the job are ya?" a voice muttered, seeming to echo from all directions at once while originating inside the Saiyan's own head without bothering to pass through his ears "Good grief, no wonder you're always getting beaten up."

'Who?' Raditz muttered, the Saiyan's eyes creaking open, on the very edge of closing his eyes and falling into blissful slumber 'A voice?'

"Honestly, look at the state you're in!" the voice muttered, the tone laced with equal parts disgust and bemusement, even as a strange presence loomed over the Saiyan "C'mon, Get up! I didn't raise no son of mine to be a quitter!"

'O-Oyaji?' his tone filled with dazed confusion, only to scoff, his eyes slowly shutting of their own volition 'Damn…just a dream after all…'

A fist rammed into his skull, the Saiyan sitting up with a yelp, holding his abused noggin between both hands, a massive goose-egg forming between his fingers.

"You awake now?" the voice from before demanded, a tall, lean figure, dressed in light, outdated Saiyan armour, a crimson bandanna across his brow. His features similar to Turles, save that his skin tone mirrored Raditz's, and his frame was more streamlined, built more along the lines of speed and technique, rather than power, a cross-shaped scar adorning his cheek.

"O-Oyaji?" Raditz stammered, blinking up at the image of his father in wonderment, and growing realization "Am…am I dreaming?"

"You want another smack on the head, baka?" Bardock demanded, raising his fist threateningly as he towered over his son, even as Raditz recoiled from a second blow to his abused noggin.

"Ask me that BEFORE you hit me, bastard!" the younger Saiyan snarled, glaring up at his father's image in annoyance "That settles it…" he swore "This hurts too damn much to be a dream, so I MUST be dead."

"You're HALF right." Bardock muttered, crossing his arms with a snort "You're hanging on by a thread, one foot in the grave so to speak, could go either way."

"And lemme guess…" Raditz muttered, the Saiyan guardsman getting to his feet and crossing his arms before his father "You're here to guide me to the other side, right?"

"That depends." Bardock muttered, looking his son in the eyes "You wanna cross over now? Just like that?"

"Don't really got much of a choice, do I?" Raditz pointed out, gesturing to the barren, endless void around them "Doesn't look like I've many options right now."

"So you're just gonna let Turles get away with this?" Bardock demanded, holding his startled offspring's eyes with his own "I don't remember raising no COWARD."

"Who you calling a coward old man?" Raditz snarled, clenching his fists as he glared at his long dead sire "I'd like to see YOU do any better! He's YOUR brother!"

"You're right, he's my brother." Bardock agreed, his tone flat "And you're MY son," he reminded Raditz, smirking at the younger Saiyan's look of shock "And no son of mine's gonna run off with his tail between his legs, even if it costs him his life."

"…Damn you old man…" Raditz muttered, growling at his sire, even as he felt a hint of pride at the elder Saiyans words "Did dieing make you go all soft?"

"I'm gonna smack you if you keep that shit up." Bardock growled, his fist smoking as Raditz lay facedown on the ground, another goose egg adorning his head "Now get off your ass and show that bastard how a REAL Saiyan fights!"

"You old fucker!" Raditz snarled, the guardsman leaping to his feet, only to blink as he found himself not standing in the endless void, but on the roots of the Shinseijuu, where Turles had left him for dead.

"The hell?" the burly saiyan wondered, blinking in confusion, looking down at his hands, as if to see if they were there "A dream? Was I dreaming?" he grimaced as the back of his head pounded "Fuck…must've hit my head harder than I thought…"

Movement above him snapped him out of his thoughts, the wounded Saiyan wincing as he turned to investigate the sounds of battle sounded above.

"Looks like those girls got started without me." Raditz muttered, smirking ferally as he listened to the one-sided fight "Heh, who'd a thought I'd be fighting alongside Juraians against one of my own…the lives we lead…"

That said, the Saiyan Guardsman took to the skies, unaware of a movement behind a pile of roots not far behind him.

* * *

_with Turles... _

"This is too easy!" Turles mocked, deflecting Ryoko and Ayeka's attacks with an arm each, sneering at the women as the struggled to land a blow in vain "C'mon ladies! What happened to all that fire you had before?"

"You want Fire monkey-nuts?" Ryoko snarled, charging a blast of energy in her palm before unleashing it at Turles face "How's that?"

"Undercooked." Turles sneered, deflecting the blast and delivering a savage backhand that slammed the pirate into Ayeka, the two Rivals falling to the side, only to pull up in mid-air when Turles grabbed them by their body suits "Now then…where were we?"

"TURLES!" a voice roared, the grey-skinned Saiyan looking round only to receive a savage punch to the face, cursing as he lost his grip on the women, turning round to glare at the owner of the offending fist in mounting fury.

"YOU." He growled, glaring at Raditz as the younger Saiyan sneered up at him, heedless of his own wounds and battered body "Stubborn fool, you should've stayed down!"

"What can I say?" Raditz countered, a mocking sneer adorning his features as he stood with his arms ready at his side "We low-class warriors are tenacious, but then I suppose a fruit-munching Nancy-Boy ELITE wouldn't know the first thing about that, now would you?"

"Just for that I'll bury you in the deepest pit I can make in this planet once it becomes a desert." Turles growled, the two Saiyans lunging towards one another, Turles driving the younger Raditz off with a savage backhand, only for Ayeka and Ryoko to rejoin the fray.

"TURLES!" Raditz called out, grinning ferally up at the elder Saiyan as he fended off the rivals' attacks, twin spheres of energy charging in his hands "Eat this! DOUBLE SUNDAY!"

"What?" Turles demanded, swearing as Ryoko and Ayeka's combined assault managed to get through his guard, the attack actually knocking him further up the tree. "You little brats!" Turles snarled, the elder Saiyan slapping his palms together, forming a sparking ring of Ki between them even as Raditz launched twin beams of energy at him, which combined into one, racing towards him like a comet "KILL DRIVER!" he roared, raising the ring of destructive energy over his head, before hurling it at the comet with all his strength, the two blasts colliding, only to explode, the shockwave from the blast slamming into the fighters, forcing them to cover their eyes from the light.

"Damn!" Ryoko cursed, the cyan haired space pirate hovering in the air alongside Raditz, grimacing as her vision cleared from the explosion "Think that got him?"

As if to answer her question, Turles erupted from the could of smoke, his features mocking as he first rammed his fist into Raditz's jaw, sending the younger Saiyan slamming into the tree, rounding on Ayeka and Ryoko before either girl could react and delivering a punishing blow with his elbows between their shoulder blades, all three of them crashing down inside the fruit chamber of the tree.

"Not bad nephew…" the grey-skinned Saiyan mocked, a look of mocking bemusement on his face as he stamped down on the younger Saiyan's throat "You actually managed to singe my leg-hairs with that last one." He sneered down at the struggling Saiyan "Sadly, my offer, and my need for your services, has long since expired."

"Damn…" Raditz snorted, one eye shut, the other half open as he smirked defiantly up at the elder Saiyan "There goes my resume."

"Indeed." Turles mocked, pressing down on the younger Saiyan's neck "However, take heart dear nephew, thanks to your efforts, the Tree of might has blossomed, and with the fruit it had provided, I shall have nothing to fear in my path for conquest."

"Don't count on it!" a voice called out from the entryway, Turles turning to face the intruder, the Saiyan scowling at the sight of the lone figure standing there, dressed in battered Jurai battle armour.

* * *

_Tenchi..._

"TENCHI!" Ryoko called out, the space pirate looking torn between joy and concern at the sight of her beloved, taking in his battered, smoking armour and bleeding scrapes, as well as the ragged breaths he was taking.

"Tenchi-sama!" Ayeka called out, the princess struggling to raise herself to look at the teen, her eyes filled with concern "Run away! He's too powerful."

"So you're still alive…" Turles muttered, the grey-toned Saiyan turning to face the teen head on, his boot still firmly planted on Raditz's throat "Good grief, you people are like cockroaches, when will you learn that I can't be beaten?"

"You're not getting away with this…" Tenchi muttered, his Jurai markings glowing as he staggered towards the Saiyan "I won't LET you."

"Let me?" Turles repeated, the grey-skinned Saiyan smirking as he watched the teen stagger towards him "Oh please, you think YOU can stop ME? You can't even WALK straight! PULSE DRIVER!"

"TENCHI!" the girls called out, Raditz looking on with a grimace as Turles' blast of purple energy rammed into the teen's body, obscuring the front of the chamber with smoke and the smell of torched wood.

"Huh…so much for him…" Turles sneered, turning his back on the smoke, only to blink as the hackles on his tail rose, his scouter's readings going off the scale as he whipped round, just in time to see three strange glowing shields appear in the smoke.

"What the hell?" he stammered, gaping at the sight before him as the smoke cleared, revealing Tenchi, his face set in a determined scowl as he stood behind the shields of light "What the hell are those things?" he demanded, staring at Tenchi in alarm as the teen held his palms out, the wings of energy washing over his body, replacing his Jurai battle armour with elaborate robes of silk that fluttered despite the absence of a breeze.

"Creating matter out of pure energy?" Turles stammered, the Saiyan's eyes widening in disbelief as Tenchi's hand came up to grasp the third wing, which materialized into the form of a sword "That's impossible! No Juraian has that kind of power! What the hell are you?"

"I'm the one that will destroy you." Tenchi replied, his tone laced with determined resolve as he gripped his new weapon in both hands "This ends HERE Turles!"

"DON'T FUCK WITH ME BRAT!" Turles snarled, slapping his palms together, charging up another Kill driver, only to jerk, his eyes widening in alarm as he felt his strength slip away.

* * *

_Raditz..._

"Heh…gotcha…" Raditz chuckled, the wounded Saiyan guardsman grinning mockingly up at his uncle, gripping the startled elite's tail in his hand "You let your guard down 'Uncle'…" he sneered, tightening his grip maliciously "Elite or not, having your tail grabbed still hurts like a bitch!"

"You…back-stabbing little.." Turles grit out, veins bulging in his head as he glared down at his nephew, struggling to keep his footing "You'd…betray your own blood?"

"About that…" Raditz sneered, the younger Saiyan's free hand opening, Turles eyes widening as he eyed a discarded piece of unripe Shinseijuu fruit, which showed signs of being recently chewed on "Oyaji gave me a message to pass onto you…"

Turles paled, looking on in horror as his nephew gathered a sizeable amount of energy in his palm, even as Tenchi leapt forwards, sword held horizontally at his side.

"Here…" Raditz sneered, ramming the glowing sphere of energy into his uncle's stomach with a roar "Oyaji's Riot Javelin…CHOKE ON IT!"

Turles screamed, the energy from the blast shattering his scouter as he was slammed into the roof of the chamber, his last conscious memory that of Tenchi leaping towards him, Lighthawk sword at the ready, and then everything went white.

* * *

Washu: Ooh i love a man that doesn't know when to quit.

Kyugan:Expect more to come, the action won't stop here!

R&R!


	12. Chapter 12

Well that wrapped up nicely.

Washu: True, love how Tenchi and Raditz basically Falon Punched Turles at the end there.

Kyugan: Jut for warning, this Chapter is rated 'T' for Saiyan Casual Wear.

Washu: (Kitty smile ORLLY?

* * *

Chapter 11: A new dawn.

Earth, viewed from space, the third planet of the Solar System could be considered quite a gem, a sapphire floating in the dark, velvety reaches of space, it's surface laced with swirling whites of clouds and the green and browns of continents.

However, with the Shinseijuu feeding off it's energy, the planet had taken on a dull rusty colour, as if all the lustre, all the vitality, had been sucked out of it, leaving only the impurities and dirt, the once august gem now little more than a ball of mud.

At that moment however, the Shinseijuu began to glow, it's canopy, which extended far beyond the atmosphere, shining an iridescent gold, bright as the sun, it's leaves brimming with the life energy of the planet it had taken root in.

In space, there is no sound, and so the sudden detonation of the Shinseijuu as all the energy it absorbed was released will probably never be documented, though countless satellites were on hand to document the sight as a glowing dome broke over the surface of the Earth, like the dawning of a new sun.

All around the world, people gaped at the sight of the massive roots as they began to glow, pausing in their attempts to find shelter or remove the obstacles to marvel at the otherworldly beauty of it all.

And then the Roots exploded, scaring the international bejeezus out of the onlookers, who fell on their collective asses, looking on in wonder as the parasitic growths went off like a packet of microwave popcorn, only instead of kernels, little the waves of energy fell from the sky like snow, washing over the planet like golden shower, the people feeling strength return to their aching bodies, looking on in wonderment as the plants began to regain their vitality, the local wildlife, which seemed on the bridge of collapsing, suddenly flourishing as the animals recovered.

From space, the once lifeless planet now glowed with a golden light, as if millions of miniature stars were contained within its sphere.

* * *

_Masaki house..._

"Well, they did it." Washu noted, the redhead smirking to herself as she looked up from her laptop, which was recording the effects as the life energy was restored "Sure as hell took 'em long enough, I was starting to sweat a little there!"

"Thank goodness!" Mihoshi exclaimed, the blonde detective clasping her hands together in relief, tears in her baby-blue eyes as she looked over at Sasami and Yosho, who returned her cheer with kind smiles "Isn't that great guys?"

"Indeed." Yosho sighed, a look of relief on his aged features, his strength slowly returning as Funaho regained her power, his form reverting to his youthful visage "Though they were cutting it a little close."

"I knew Tenchi-Niichan could do it!" Sasami cheered, the girl rubbing her eyes in relief, even as Ryo-Ohki hopped onto her shoulder, the little Cabbit's flank bandaged, but otherwise alright "Isn't that right, Ryo-chan?"

"Myah!" Ryo-Ohki agreed, beaming up at her friend as Sasami hugged her, Washu beaming at the two as they cheered.

"Thank goodness…" Tarble sighed, the Saiyan Prince looking highly relieved as he stood there, his chest and forehead bandaged, but otherwise alright "Is that it then? Washu-san? It's over?"

"Pretty much." Washu admitted, smiling at the youth as she sat back on her couch "With the Shinseijuu destroyed, all the life energy it absorbed was released," she explained, bringing up a diagram that showed just that, only tin 2-D, easy to understand form "and the earth's slowly taking it back into itself. Won't be long until it's feeling like it's old self again!"

"And on that note." Yosho commented, his guise as the elderly Katsuhito Masaki as he smiled at the group I trust you can all keep silent about this? If Ayeka were to find out…"

"Oh! Grandpa!" Mihoshi exclaimed, looking at the elderly priest in confusion "Where on earth did you come from?"

"I think you can take that as a YES, Katsuhito-dono." Washu muttered, a bead of sweat sliding down her head as the group eyed the confused blonde detective exasperatedly, loosing a set of long-suffering sighs.

* * *

_Tenchi and co... _

Tenchi blinked, looking on in wonderment as the life-energy from the Shinseijuu dropped around him like snowflakes, his Lighthawk armour and sword vanishing in a flash of light, back to the ether from whence they came, leaving him in his regular Jurai armour, which looked fresh as the day he first donned it.

"We did it…" he marvelled, a smile of satisfaction forming on his face as he watched life return to his family's land, watching the very environment slowly regain it's vitality, the green returning to the plants and the birds crying out as the sun shone overhead.

"Tenchi~!" Ryoko called out, the teen looking up just in time for the amorous space pirate to drop in on him from on high with her patented glomp, forcing him to stagger to keep from sending them both to the ground. "I was so worried!" the cyan haired pirate exclaimed, rubbing her cheek against his face, her features lined with relief "When that blast hit you I swear my heart just stopped!"

"Like you HAVE a heart, devil woman!" Ayeka snapped, the princess stamping towards the pair, much to Ryoko's annoyance and Tenchi's trepidation "Now unhand Tenchi-sama immediately! He's obviously exhausted from the battle and needs time to recuperate!"

"What do you think I'm doing, princess?" Ryoko countered, eyeing the fuming royal with a deadpan expression "A little sexual healing and he'll be right as rain."

"THAT'S NOT THE KIND OF HEALING I MEANT AND YOU KNOW IT!" Ayeka snapped, her head enlarging to ten times it's normal size as she spat fire at the pirate, who promptly positioned herself so that Tenchi was between them "Now stop cowering behind Tenchi-sama like the trollop you are and let him recover!"

"Great Galaxies…" a rough voice muttered, the trio looking up to see Raditz leaning against a tree, the Saiyan's arms crossed before his bare chest as he eyed them with a look that bordered between amusement and exasperation "Are they ALWAYS like this, brat?"

"Pretty much." Tenchi admitted, a guilty smile adorning his face, even as he felt the rivals' look at him in betrayal "But you get used to it."

"You have my condolences." Raditz offered, his tone wry, making it clear he didn't give a rats ass if the girls were about to rape the teen as he looked up at the sky, where the motes of light continued to fall "So…that's it then…"

"What'll you do now…?" Tenchi asked, looking up at the half-naked Saiyan curiously, even as Ayeka stepped closer to the teen, her eyes narrowed in suspicion "I mean, Turles was your uncle, right?"

"He was no kin of mine." Raditz countered, his tone final, making it clear that the teen was never to bring the topic up again "He was a traitor to the race that raised his hand against my prince, he died a death worthy of such a betrayal."

"Still, where will you and Tarble go now?" Tenchi asked, looking at the Saiyan in concern, even as Ryoko and Ayeka blinked at the question.

"Who knows?" Raditz muttered, shrugging his massive shoulders unconcernedly "The ship we came in was destroyed when the Shinseijuu went up, unless some of the pods survived the battle, it looks like we're stuck here for a while."

"You could stay with us?" Tenchi offered, wincing as Ayeka looked at him in shock "I mean, just until they get a ship, I'm sure Washu could whip one up for you in no time!"

"I'm not riding in ANYTHING built by that…woman…" Raditz muttered, shuddering as he recalled the vulgar, seemingly ageless redhead, his tail bristling, and not entirely out of anger, at the memory of her breath against his ear "The sooner I get off this planet and away from her the better."

"Now, now, don't say that!" Washu's voice called out, Raditz leaping a foot in the air as something pinched his backside, the Saiyan whipping round to find the redhead standing behind him, her hands on her hips "Yo! Nice going guys! You really cleaned up this time."

"Washu-san." Tenchi sighed, sweatdropping as he watched Raditz scuttle around the clearing like a crab, his eyes locked onto the redhead in suspicion, his tail lashing agitatedly "How're Ryo-Ohki-chan and Tarble-kun?"

"Relax!" Washu assured him, the redheaded genius giving a thumb's up as she winked "They're both tougher than they look, they're already up and about, though Ryo-Ohki won't be transforming to space ship mode for a while."

"I could care less about the rodent," Raditz muttered, the Saiyan guardsman stepping forwards, heedless of Ryoko's angry glare at the derogatory comment directed at her partner/sibling as he glared down at the pirate's mother/creator "What of Tarble-sama?"

"Last I saw he was chowing down on Sasami's cooking in the kitchen." Washu replied, smirking up at the guardsman coyly "It was so cute, like something out of one of those soap operas, he kept complimenting her for the simplest things, like he never had good food before."

"Washu-san!" Ayeka exclaimed, the elder princess getting in the redhead's face with a look of alarm "D-Don't tell me you left Sasami alone with him?"

"Of course not! What do you take me for?" Washu exclaimed, looking at the elder princess as if she'd been insulted, only to grin and give a 'V' sign as Ayeka loosed a sigh of relief "I left Mihoshi-dono with her of course!"

"You're evil…" Ryoko muttered, watching as Ayeka tore off, leaving a trail of dust in her wake as she raced back to the Masaki house, desperate to save her little sister from the 'Savage Brute' and the 'Humanoid Natural Disaster'.

"Why thank you," Washu scoffed, smirking up at her daughter with a wink "Where did you think you got it from honey? The milk man?" she snorted as Ryoko flipped her off, "In any case, let's head on back to the house." She instructed "Sasami said she's gonna whip up a feast fit for a king to celebrate."

"Sounds like MY kinda party." Ryoko grinned, stretching her arms behind her head, only to loop one around Tenchi's neck, pulling him into her chest "And maybe after, we can have a little…private celebration?"

"Ryoko!" Tenchi exclaimed, his face turning scarlet at the pirate's insinuation, only for his protests to fall on deaf ears as Ryoko faded out of existence, taking him with her to parts unknown.

* * *

_Washu and Raditz... _

"That girl." Washu sighed, hands on her hips as she shook her head, looking torn between exasperation and bemusement "She just can't seem to comprehend the matter of subtlety." She sighed again, before turning to the silent form of Raditz with a smirk "So what's the plan big boy? You coming or what?"

"Don't get the wrong idea." Raditz growled, glaring down at the little redhead "I didn't do what I did for YOU, I was only fulfilling my duty to Tarble-sama."

"Right, right," Washu muttered, the redhead waving her hand dismissively as she shook her head "The whole 'anti-hero' thing, we got it already." She sighed "Seriously, you Saiyans are so emotionally repressed I'm surprised you can feel anything at all."

"I'd watch my tone if I were you…" Raditz growled, glaring down at the redhead, a vein bulging dangerously on his brow "Or I'll show EXACTLY how much we can feel."

"Not until the kids are tucked in," Washu shot back smirking coyly up at him as the Saiyan's face turned red at the insinuation "You know, you're pretty cute when you flush."

"YOU VULGAR LITTLE-!" Raditz bristled, fighting down the flush that adorned his cheeks with a growl, turning his head to the side with a derisive scoff "This is ridiculous, I REFUSE to be baited along by a CHILD!"

"Would it make you feel better if I looked like THIS?" Washu purred, Raditz's body stiffening as he felt two soft mounds press against his arm, turning back to find the redhead had taken on her adult form once again, a coy, predatory smile on her lips as she leaned in close "Whadd'ya say now?" she asked, her hand coming down to stroke the base of his tail "Mind if I string you along?"

Raditz jumped at the contact, his hand snapping out to grab the woman's questing hand, seizing it tight as he bit off a growl, glaring down into her unrepentant green eyes, only to blink as a plushy stared back at him.

"And I didn't forget the ribbon!" Washu exclaimed, the Saiyan turning round to find the redhead, a child once more, standing behind him, a energy sword aimed at the back of his neck "Now I'm gonna have to ask that you don't do anything...ecchi to it, for obvious reasons."

"YOU LITTLE~!" Raditz roared, tossing the plushy to the side and rounding on the redhead, his face a mask of fury "I won't be made fun of woman!"

"You're even cuter when you're angry." Washu opined, suddenly standing right in the Saiyan's face, Raditz pulling up short as she tapped him on the nose, smiling as his stomach gave a low growl "Sounds like someone's in need of a refill…" she noted sarcastically, turning on her heel and walking back to the house, her hands clasped behind her back "If you feel like joining us, you won't regret it, Sasami's cooking is to DIE for!"

Raditz growled, watching the redhead scamper off like the child she resembled, his frown slowly losing it's intensity as he followed her retreating form as it made it's way down the mountainside towards a small house resting at the bottom of the valley.

'To die for huh…?' he muttered, pulling an glowing object, a ripe fruit from the Shinseijuu, out from behind his back, eyeing it idly for a few seconds, only to snort, tossing it over his shoulder and marching towards the house 'What the hell, food's food I suppose.'

Behind the Saiyan, the last remaining Shinseijuu fruit lay discarded on the ground, it's hide glowing a brilliant gold, before bursting open, a trail of life energy falling in the Saiyan's wake like snowflakes.

* * *

_Masaki house... _

"Dig in everyone!" Sasami exclaimed, grinning as she placed another heaping platter of rice on the table for the starving guests.

"Thanks, Sasami-chan." Tenchi offered, the quarter-juraian teen smiling up at the little princess despite the bandages adorning his face, enawed with the spread laid out before them "Looks great! As usual."

"Thank's, Tenchi-Niichan." Sasami replied, beaming at the compliment, though she was more than happy to cook for her extended familly, before turning to Tarble, who was chowing down on a bowl of rice "Tarble-kun, would you like seconds!"

"Yes please!" Tarble exclaimed, the Saiyan prince holding out his bowl eagerly, smiling shyly up at the younger princess "You're an amazing cook, Sasami-san!"

"Grandma taught me lots of recipes!" Sasami beamed, smiling down at the Saiyan prince as she loaded up his plate with another massive helping of rice "She always told me the best way to a man's heart is through his stomach."

'With or without a sharp knife?' Was the unspoken consensus of those who knew the reputation of the Devil Princess of Jurai, which basically included all the females with the exception of Tenchi, who everyone agreed was NOT to come anywhere near the woman, Mihoshi, who was too busy stuffing her face to pay attention to anyone else, and Ryoko, who didn't really pay attention to politics.

"Where's Raditz?" Tenchi wondered, the quarter-Juraian looking up from Ryoko and Ayeka's attempts at feeding him, while simultaneously trying to prevent the other from doing so, a look of confusion on his face "Isn't he hungry?"

"I told him he needed to wash and get changed before coming to the table." Washu explained, a coy smile on her face "Trust, me, as tempting as it'd be having a slice off beefcake like that on display, I think we could do without the sweaty monkey smell."

"WOMAN!" Raditz roared, his voice causing several spit-takes and poor Mihoshi to choke on her croquet as the house actually SHOOK from the force of the Saiyan Guardsman's lungs "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?"

"Speak of the devil…" Washu chuckled, the redhead leaning back to call out over her shoulder while Ryoko slapped Mihoshi's back before she choked, sending the poor blonde face first into her [;ate ironically "What's the matter Radish-kun?"

"Don't you RADISH-KUN me you juvenile abomination!" Raditz roared, his voice echoing down the stairs, even as the others suppressed guilty snickers at the byplay "What the devil did you do to my clothes?"

"You mean the armour and leotard?" Washu queried, looking like she was secretly enjoying this immensely, which wasnt a secret really if you thought about it "I took them to my lab for study, they needed a wash anyway. I left some replacements for you."

"Are you MAD woman?" Raditz demanded, his voice trembling with repressed rage, even as the rest of the Masaki house nodded in agreement, as Washu WAS considered a little unhinged "I'm not wearing this…this DRESS!"

"They're priest robes." Washu countered, winking at the others, Ryoko grinning mischievously while the others looked on uncertainly, Katsuhito's moustache twitching at the insult "They're rather dashing on the right man."

"IT'S a DRESS woman!" Raditz snarled, his temper obviously reaching it's limits as Ryoko tried, and failed, to contain her laughter "If you think for one second that I'm putting these on you're out of your damn mind!"

"Well too bad then," Washu countered, a smug tone on her face as she resumed her meal without a care in the world "If you're not gonna come down, then I suppose we'll just have to eat your share…" she winked at the group "unless you feel like coming down as you are?"

"Washu-san!" Ayeka hissed, looking at the redhead like she was mad, though the effect was ruined as she tried to contain her laughter "You shouldn't be provoking him!"

"Relax!" Washu assured the princess, waving a hand dismissively "I'm just having a little fun, he'll come down when he's good and-!"

She trailed off as Sasami loosed a squeak of embarrassment, the group turning round, only to gape in alarm at the sight before them, the sound of jaws hitting the table accompanied by the sound of mental gears screeching to a halt.

"Bloody bathtub's too small…" Raditz muttered, wringing excess water out of his hair with a growl, his muscular frame glistening in the light of the hallway as he turned to glare at the group "what're you all looking at?"

Ayeka tried to utter a response, but could only manage to utter a strange, choking sound, her mouth working feebly as she struggled to keep her eyes at face level, only to find them slowly drifting south. Ryoko, not being as reserved as the princess, was openly gawking at the sight before her, taking in everything with a look of amazement, her tail standing erect and bushy behind her.

Tenchi, who was 100% certain of his sexuality, he'd had more than enough wet dreams involving the occupants since their arrival not to, couldn't help but feel a sense of inadequacy wash over him, a sentiment that was shared by his father, Noboyuki, whose glasses had suddenly cracked, his features turning a shade of puce while his lips pursed, like he'd sucked a sour lemon, while Mihoshi, who was sitting across from him, continued to pour soy-sauce on her rice, not noticing that it had begun to pour into her lap.

"Raditz." Tarble greeted, nodding towards his guardsman, apparently unaffected by the larger Saiyan's state, or lack rather, of dress gesturing towards the spread before him with an eager, almost childish look in his eyes "Try the eel, it's delicious."

"We'll see…" Raditz muttered, padding towards the dinner table with an almost catlike grace, if said cat was a bloody lion, sitting down at the head of the table with a grunt, scowling at the dumbstruck looks he was receiving "What?"

"N-NOTHING!" Tenchi stammered, his features lighting up as the others quickly averted their eyes, trying to look interested in their food "Just…isn't it a little…aren't you cold?"

"Not really…" Raditz muttered, picking up a bowl of rice and shovelling it into his mouth, chewing thoroughly, his eyebrow quirking at the taste "Hmm…pretty damn good…any more?"

"S-sure…" Sasami squeaked, reaching for the bowl without looking at the Saiyan, startling slightly as their fingers brushed, dropping the plate on the table with a cry "S-SORRY!" she exclaimed, leaping to her feat in embarrassment "I-I'll get you a new one?"

"What's her problem?" Raditz muttered, watching the girl scamper off with a frown "her face gets any redder, you could see her from space."

"Can't possibly imagine…" Washu murmured, a dazed look in her eyes as she smiled at the Saiyan, holding up a platter for him to sample "Sausages?"

* * *

_Lay-ter... _

"I'm stuffed…" Tarble sighed, the Saiyan teen reclining on the roof of the Masaki house, dressed in a pair of Tenchi's old pyjamas, while Raditz wore what appeared to be a pair of spandex shorts and a vest, at Washu's insistence. Ayeka had needed to lie down after seeing it. "Sasami-san's a really good cook, don't you think Raditz?"

"She passed…" the Saiyan guardsman muttered, which Tarble knew from experience meant it was the best thing his protector had eaten in a while "Bit highly strung though, couldn't look me in the eye all through the meal."

"You and Washu-san seemed to be hitting it off well." The prince noted, smiling at the elder Saiyan's scowl "she wouldn't stop talking to you."

"She's a chatterbox." Raditz growled, his tail lashing irritably as he recalled the redhead's wandering eyes throughout dinner "A vulgar one at that, and she doesn't know how to keep her hands to herself."

"On that, I think Tenchi-san and I can agree with you…" Tarble agreed, chuckling weakly as he recalled the tales Tenchi had told him of her 'experiments' "If I were you, I wouldn't be caught alone with her."

"Let her TRY something." Raditz snorted, though internally, he felt a hint of, not quite nervousness, not quite anticipation, at the idea of being locked alone with the redhead.

They sat in silence, looking up at the stars, so beautiful, and yet filled with countless tales and mysteries. "You think there are any more out there?" Tarble wondered, peering up at the night sky curiously, a hint of longing on his face "Saiyans I mean?"

"Who knows?" Raditz muttered, his features solemn "We know at least that Vegeta-Oujisama is alive, unless Frieza or his goons stabbed him in the back…probably Commander Nappa too, the big bruiser was always following the prince around."

"My brother…" Tarble murmured, his brows furrowing in concern at the memory of the only relative that showed him any form of attention "I'm sure he's alive…out there." He turned to look at his guardsman inquisitively "What about you, Raditz? Do you have any other family out there?"

"Who knows?" Raditz muttered, snorting in dismissal as he laid back on the roof of the Masaki house and closed his eyes "If they're anything like Turles, then I don't WANNA know."

"That's true." Tarble agreed, the prince leaning back on his arms, the two Saiyans gazing up at the stars, listening to the usual ruckus as the Masaki family settled down for the evening, which entailed Ryoko and Ayeka getting into a fight, Sasami and Tenchi trying to break things up, and poor Mihoshi getting caught in the middle of it all, making the situation worse in her own unintentional way, while the stars twinkled as if in laughter.

* * *

Kyugan: As i warned you, Saiyan Casual WEar at it's finest.

Washu: Hehehehe... (Drooling) Monkey bits...

Kyugan: Uh Washu, you're freaking me out...maybe I shouldn't have given her the sausages.

Noboyuki: (Holding his butt and crotch at the same time) Teh horror...TEH HORRRORRR!

R&R!


	13. Chapter 13

Following up in short order, gotta warn you, the next few chapters are gonna follow the 'Dr. Clay' arc.

Washu: Great..octopus head...

Kyugan: now now, too much DBZ makes Tenchi look redundent.

Washu: True, he doesn't become a credible threat till after Z' showed up.

Tenchi: You guys are mean...

* * *

Chapter 12: No Need for a Doppelganger!

In the depths of space, a large, beautiful ship, with a prow that resembled a woman in a trailing gown, floated gracefully, yet purposefully through the stars towards a specific solar system, which seemed cordoned off by a strange, spherical barrier. "Capture Field: Normal." A robotic voice announced, the speaker a strange, maroon automaton with a vaguely mannequin appearance "250 parsecs to target point."

"Carrying the entire galaxy." An aged voice murmured, his voice reverent, filled with awe and wonder at the sight before him "Marvellous is the power of her majesty…"

The automaton turned, the blank screen that served as its face taking in the diminutive form of it's master and creator as the old man idly stroked the strange, nonetheless priceless vase held in his hands, as he was wont to do whenever faced with such wonderment.

"Such an awesome power." The old man repeated, his one good eye locked on the sight before him, his lips pursed as he marvelled at the sight before him, his expression, coupled with his hat, odd beard and hairstyle, giving him the appearance of a rather unfortunate octopus "Zero, we're going out."

"Yes Sir." The automaton concurred, instantly teleporting the two of them to one of the shuttle-pods, activating the warp drive once they were clear of the main-ship, the distance between them and their destination diminishing by light-years.

"Adjustment of the Field Space particles completed." The Automaton declared, bringing their vessel back into normal space in the middle of what looked like a ship graveyard.

"There seems to have been combat again." The old man murmured, eyeing the countless gutted ships hovering lifelessly in space with his good eye, his tone laced with annoyance rather than concern. After all, there was NOTHING that could possibly stand up to the power of his lady.

Zero did not reply, the automaton merely focusing on the task of piloting their craft through the debris towards their destination, a strange waterway that seemed to pour endlessly into space, a massive tree, its roots embedded in vacuum, hovering nearby.

Bringing the vessel to a halt next to a strange, floating ring, the pair disembarked, teleporting instantly from the cockpit to the ring, a sphere of energy flaring into life within the centre at their presence, the ring promptly moving at a sedate pace down the waterway, the duo's gaze locked on the strange white glow in the distance, heedless of the strange, aquatic life-form that floated idly beneath them.

"Are you sure about this, Doctor?" Zero droned, the blank screen that served as the automaton's 'face' developing a vertical, pulsing line as it spoke "We have yet to complete our assigned mission."

"No need for concern." The doctor assured his mechanical assistant dismissively "I don't need to attend to it PERSONALLY." He paused for a moment, as if reconsidering "Leave it to the machines…that should suffice."

Zero nodded, inclining it's head as it relayed the master's instructions to his other, less advanced machines, which had been left to oversee his experiments, before turning it's gaze towards the glowing light, even as the ring dropped off the water into vacuum, with no apparent side effects.

Within moments, the two were standing atop a podium within a massive temple chamber, gazing up at a strange crimson gem that seemingly hovered in mid-air. "I have just returned," the doctor announced, dropping to his hands and knees in a grand show of subjugation, his head bowed and eyes closed.

"I understand that your mission has yet to be completed," An aged voice echoed from all sides, a giant face appearing before the podium, that of an old man with bush brows, beard and moustache, the crimson gem posed in the centre of his head "Doctor Clay."

"Well, No." Clay admitted, the aged doctor kneeling before the image of his lady's servant respectfully "But I have come today to make a VERY important report, D3-Sama."

"Oh?" D3 enquired, one massive brow quirking inquisitively as the phantom head eyed the small man before him "More important than the report on the mission ASSIGNED to you, I suppose?"

"I hear that Tokimi-sama is looking for a…certain person…" Clay noted, daring to lift his gaze to meet the vision's "And that the order to search for that…certain person…was given to someone else?"

"I will NOT enquire as to HOW you came to know THAT." D3 intoned, though it was apparent from his tone of voice that the spectre was NOT amused by this revelation, and he hadn't been pleased the moment Clay walked into the chamber.

"I demand an interview with Tokimi-sama." Clay declared, looking up into the eyes of his lady's closest servant on this plane of existence with all the defiance he dared as he got to his feet.

"Tokimi-sama is right HERE." D3 countered, the great astral image's expansive eyes closing with what could have been mocking contempt or wry bemusement as Clay eyed their surroundings in confusion "However, there is no guarantee that the 'Certain Person' YOU know is the one our lady is searching for IS there?"

"That is EXACTLY why I need to see Tokimi-sama!" Clay insisted, the Doctor breaking out in a cold sweat at the possibility of being denied "To confirm-!"

"Confirmation can be given by ME." D3 cut in, eyeing the small, feeble old man impassively, only to pause, his head turning to the side, as if listening to a voice only he could perceive. "…Yes, my lady…" the guardian intoned after a moment's silence, closing his eyes and inclining his head respectfully to a person unseen "As you will…" he turned his attention back to Clay and his automaton "You may make your report to Tokimi-sama."

"Y-You are too kind, D3-sama!" Clay exclaimed, relief and excitement stretching his aged features as he held his arms wide "But, if you could be so kind as to tell me where she is?"

"You don't seem to realize yet…" D3 muttered, his eyes closing as if in exasperation as he faded from view, leaving only the gem from his forehead "Very well…you shall see her with your OWN eyes…as Tokimi-sama descends upon you."

Clay blinked, looking on as the temple faded from view, the podium now standing in empty space, the doctor's eyes widening as giant, shadowy forms appeared in rows, as if lining the path to a throne.

"High level Dimension reactions detected…" Zero intoned, it's sensors threatening to go off the scale as it recorded all that lay before it, the Doctor's gaze travelling along the rows of shadows, only to widen as a massive, feminine figure appeared at the end, dressed in a maroon robe, her features as beautiful as they were awe-inspiring, two shadows standing at her back, gazing off to the sides.

"Now you may speak…" D3's voice echoed, coming from everywhere, and yet nowhere at the same time as the goddess turned her expansive gaze towards the man "Whatever you have to say, say it NOW."

"T-T-Tokimi-sama-!" Clay stammered, the old doctor falling to his knees once more, his mortal mind overpowered by the sight of his patron in the flesh, so to speak "You, you do me too great an honour by agreeing to see me in person like this!" at the Goddess' silence he inclined his head, fearing he treaded on thin ice "I…I bring you news…"

"About Washu, Clay?" Tokimi queried, Clays head snapping up, his eyes wide with alarm as he dared to lock gazes with the goddess, almost losing himself in those endless, sapphire orbs "Very well, I shall leave everything to you." Tokimi intoned, the goddess closing her eyes, as if sensing Clay's faculties were on the verge of shutting down "Should you succeed, I shall grant your wish: You shall have the ruling rights over an entire galaxy."

"W-what?" Clay stammered, his faculties slowly returning to him, allowing him to gape in awe that his patron would know the deepest, most closely kept desire in his heart, even as her words registered, the doctor looking on in awe as Tokimi vanished, taking with her the shadowy realm from whence she came.

"It is Tokimi-sama's wish to meet with Washu-sama." D3 informed the doctor, the spectral entity returning along with the temple chamber, his endless gaze boring into Clay's shaken features "However, you are to take every precaution to ensure she is NOT to be harmed in any fashion."

So saying, the spectral guardian vanished, leaving Clay and Zero with more questions than answers, and the doctor with a pressing desire for a new pair of pants.

* * *

_After a change of ants._

"Kukuku…" Clay chuckled, his usual confidence and arrogance returning to him the further the golden ring carried him from Tokimi's temple, the not-so-good doctor doing his merry best to ignore the ignoble feeling of his soiled undergarments until he could replace them in the privacy of his personal quarters his ship "Soon an entire GALAXY will be mine."

He chuckled, his sole remaining eye closing as he envisioned the FUN he was going to have with his new realm, only to snap out of his musings, casting an annoyed frown in the direction of his robotic assistant "What's YOUR problem?"

"I am…scared…" Zero admitted, the automaton's frame trembling as it stared at the ground, for lack of a better term, beneath them, it's head and shoulders slumped.

"You can't be." Clay denounced, his tone dismissive "You're not programmed to have such emotions so DON'T." he frowned in thought "Perhaps your memory from your LAST assignment hasn't been completely erased?"

"It has been completely erased sir." Zero assured the doctor, it's 'arms' coming up, as if to stare at it's 'hands', it's frame continuing to tremble "However, I cannot help myself from shaking all over just from seeing Tokimi-sama…"

"Well it CERTAINLY wasn't your first time seeing a High-Level Dimensional life form." Clay pointed out, more than a little intrigued by his assistant's condition.

"With anyone else I can make logical computations of existence." Zero countered, turning to face it's creator as it spoke "But with Tokimi-sama…Tokimi-sama is…is…"

"What of her?" Clay demanded, scowling at the automaton, wondering if it was overdue for an overhaul as it's screen jumped excitedly "what about Tokimi-sama?"

"Her very EXISTENCE is impossible." Zero concluded, its modulated tone registering the closest thing to disbelief a machine could manage "Even though she was right there in the room with us, no such information exists within the Databank."

"Nonsense!" Clay exclaimed, the doctor turning to eye his subordinate with a look of confident disbelief "The absolutely complete ring of theoretical systems is established here in the Databank." His expression calmed slightly "Absolutely everything is known here…even though we are not able to comprehend it all." He turned back to his previous position, eyeing his companion concernedly "For the moment you'd better not investigate the matter any further…I need you to focus on the task at hand…I have a lot for you to do from now on."

"I…understand…" Zero murmured, turning her gaze back towards the end of the waterway, though her frame continued to tremble, despite her best efforts.

* * *

_Masaki house..._

"Onions…" Sasami called out, the blue haired princess smiling as she stirred the vegetables into the pot as Mihoshi put them in "Bell Peppers…Carrots…Salt…"

Looking on from the side, Ryo-Ohki, who was in her child form, watched as the two prepared the food, feeling left out and hungry, her ears perking up at the mention of her favourite food, spying a few untouched carrots lying on the counter and struggling to reach them.

"I wouldn't do that, Ryo-Ohki-chan…" a voice cautioned, the little cabbit looking up as Tarble appeared, the Saiyan Prince smiling down at her "Sasami-san might get upset."

Ryo-Ohki mewled, her expression downcast as she turned her eyes to the ground, only to blink as the Saiyan prince held a carrot out to her with a smile. "Just the one." He whispered, winking at the young cabbit, a finger pressed conspiratorially over his lips, watching as Ryo-Ohki beamed up at him, accepting the carrot and skipping off to devour it out of sight.

"Tarble-kun…" a disapproving voice called out, the Saiyan prince flinching, slowly turning round to find a pouting Sasami standing behind him, her arms crossed, a spatula held in one hand as she tapped her foot "What if Ryo-chan ruins her appetite?"

"Come on Sasami-san" Tarble insisted, the Saiyan prince rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment at the Jurai princess' expression "One little carrot won't spoil her appetite…" he smiled "And besides, NOBODY would want to miss YOUR cooking."

Sasami blushed, looking down and to the side at the compliment, a bemused Mihoshi looking on from the side, only to yelp as the vegetables sparked in the pan. "Ah! The food!" the princess exclaimed, turning her back on Tarble, only to stumble, her eyes widening as she lost her footing in her haste, bracing herself for the fall that never came, Tarble's arms wrapping around her as he caught her.

"Whoops!" the Saiyan prince exclaimed, looking startled, only to smile down at the princess as she blinked up at him in surprise "That was a close one!"

"Y-yeah…" Sasami stammered, blushing cutely as Tarble set her back on her feet, skipping over to the vegetables, taking over from Mihoshi before something caught fire, doing her merry best to hide her glowing blush.

It had been almost two months since the disastrous incident with the Shinseijuu, the aftermath of which was covered up nicely thanks to a handy device of Washu's that brainwashed the entire planet into believing the entire thing had simply been a bizarre series of earthquakes, hurricanes, and various other natural disasters.

While Japan was relatively quick to adapt, heck with all the Kaijuu attacks how could they NOT, the other major superpowers quickly fell back to the old standby, namely blaming one another for their misfortunes whilst waving useless pieces of paper, the same tried and tested political farce that served for 'action' nowadays.

It was a hash-job at best, and several people with an unnaturally high resistance to such mind-altering techniques were already poking holes in the story, but they were few and far between, usually ostracised as 'delusional' by their peers, and it was CERTAINLY a better course of action than allowing the GXP and Jurai council to catch wind of what happened, the response to which would be for their respective Space Fleets to sterilize the planet.

And so the Residents of the Masaki house simply shrugged their shoulders and tried to move on. Things had finally started to get back to normal, or as normal as things can get in a house with several alien visitors, made all the MORE unusual by the inclusion of two more, though thankfully, or unfortunately depending on your point of view, the Saiyans were both VERY male, much to Tenchi's relief and Noboyuki's dismay.

"Ah! Raditz-san!" Mihoshi greeted, the group looking up just as the elder Saiyan stepped into the kitchen, dressed in a vest and sweatpants, looking slightly battered, and yet oddly refreshed at the same time "How was your spar with Ryoko-san?"

"Not too bad…" Raditz muttered, snorting in dismissal as he ruffled Ryo-Ohki's mane in passing, the little cabbit mewling happily up at him as she scampered off, leaving the Saiyan to rummage through the fridge, pulling out one of Noboyuki's beer cans and chugging it down despite Sasami's look of disapproval "She's ALMOST Decent."

"Which basically means that she's pretty damn good." Tarble whispered to the others, earning a joint giggle from Mihoshi and Sasami, while Raditz frowned at his prince disapprovingly as he quaffed the beer down.

The elder Saiyan, upon learning that Ryoko had been modelled after his own race during one of his…sessions, with Washu, had designated the space pirate as his sparring partner for their tenure on earth. Initially claiming he wanted to see how the pirate measured up to a TRUE Saiyan, their spars had eventually become an almost daily occasion, with Ryoko all too glad to have an excuse to bump her chores off on Ayeka, the two of them usually taking off for an entire day, coming back only around dinnertime, battered, bruised, only to be ready to rumble the following morning.

Tarble, of course, was included in these practice sessions, as Raditz considered it his duty to ensure his Prince could defend himself on the off chance Raditz was preoccupied with a larger threat, but the young prince much preferred to help out around the house and shrine, seeing it as only fair, considering Ryoko was dumping all her chores to spar as it was, and they WERE essentially free-loading.

"Where IS Ryoko-Neechan?" Sasami wondered, the little princess looking around in confusion, noting a distinct lack of space pirate in the general vicinity, as Ryoko would usually try to swipe a snack before dinner after a session "Did she go to visit Tenchi-Niichan in the fields?"

"Said she was gonna pick up some Sake…" Raditz muttered offhandedly, the elder Saiyan crushing the empty beer can into a tiny, marble sized ball and flicking it over his shoulder to land in the bin perfectly "I'm heading for the bath…call me when the food's ready."

"Ah! Raditz-san!" Sasami exclaimed, reaching out for the Saiyan in alarm, only for him to blast off into the air towards the Masaki family's new floating onsen "Washu-san's in the bath right now…" she finished weakly, a bead of sweat running down the side of her head.

Tarble shivered, the prince sweatdropping as he offered up a prayer for his guardsman's soul, before turning to help Mihoshi set the table, blocking out the masculine roar of alarm that tore through the air outside.

* * *

_With Ryoko..._

"Uh-oh…" Ryoko muttered, the space pirate lowering the sake jug from her lips, smirking coyly as she heard the dying echo of the roar "Looks like mom got the drop on Radish-head again…when's he gonna learn not to give her so many openings?"

Snorting to herself, the space pirate raised the jug of sake to her lips once again and taking a long chug, dropping it once again with a satisfied gasp before slinging it over her shoulder by it's handle. "Oh well…" she hummed, a pleased smile on her face as she made her way back to the Masaki house on foot, deciding to savour the freedom from experimentation a little longer "So long as she's distracted with HIM, the more time I have to be with Tenchi!"

Chuckling deviously to herself as her thoughts shifted beyond the NC-17 rating, the wily space pirate took another step forward, only to pause, her features settling into a detached smirk as she sensed the presence sneaking up behind her. "Ryoko…" a mechanized voice called out, a strange robot appearing out of thin air behind the pirate the screen that served as it's face lighting up as it spoke.

"That's my name…" the pirate admitted, smirking over her shoulder at the automaton, wondering if this was one of Washu's newest 'tests', only to frown as she espied the unfamiliar mark on the chest, cursing as she noticed the strange, goo-like tentacles that appeared beneath her, trying to teleport away, only for them to wrap around her, grabbing her out of the air and pulling her down to earth.

"Fuck!" she swore, glaring at the automaton as it hovered towards her, her temper flaring as it laughed at her predicament "Let me outta here NOW!" she snarled, several energized hairs flying from her head, slamming into the automaton's body, cutting off it's mechanized laughter as she snorted "Ha! Serves you right!" the pirate cackled, only to blink as the machine began to tremble.

"Oh…you hurt me…" the machine stated, it's modulated voice sounding pained as it covered it's head with it's arms, Ryoko looking on in surprise as it seemed to be…melting "It's cruel of you to scar a woman's face…" the automaton continued, lowering it's arms, Ryoko's ochre eyes widening as her own features looked up at her plaintively.

"What the hell?" Ryoko stammered, her eyes widening as the metallic body continued to melt off, revealing more of her form, right down to her clothes and sake jug "Some sort of clone?"

"I'm going to body your body…" the clone explained, her voice shifting from it's own modulated tone to Ryoko's sultry one as her form was completed "and memories."

"Oh that's what YOU think rust bucket!" Ryoko snarled, struggling to escape from the confines, only for the goo to envelop her head, tugging her down onto the ground, even as a massive ship's prow in the shape of woman rose up from behind her, like some pagan goddess rising from the forest.

* * *

_Clay's Ship..._

"I assume you've completed the duplication process?" Clay demanded, the portly old man looking on from the safety of his private chambers as Zero confirmed the completion of her objective "Look at this…" he marvelled, smirking as he took in his assistant's perfect replication of Washu's, rather comely, 'daughter' "Even Washu won't be able to tell the difference." He boasted, only to frown as his scanning array gave a warning signal.

"This reaction is-!" he exclaimed, just seconds before the false gem on Zero's wrist exploded, taking the doppelganger's hand with it "W-what is the meaning of this?" the doctor demanded, staring at the scene in shock "There isn't ANYTHING that can't be replicated by the power endowed in me by Tokimi-sama! It's INCONCEIVEABLE!"

"And there's no memory found in Ryoko's memory EITHER, Doctor." Zero supplied, regenerating her arm in her own fashion, flexing the fingers to test it curiously.

'Intriguing…' Clay muttered, frowning as he eyed the scene before him, only to grimace as he realized they didn't have time for ruminating "Washu will detect me if I stay longer." He muttered, scowling down at the struggling Ryoko "If we can't duplicate the jewel, we have no other choice but to take HERS." He sneered as Ryoko glared up at him defiantly "We'll deal with the others AFTER we capture Washu."

"Understood Doctor." Zero confirmed, holding up her hand, her impassive features a stark contrast to Ryoko's as she attempted to transplant the latter's gem onto her own wrist, only to blink, her facsimile ochre eyes widening as Ryoko somehow managed to resist.

"What is taking so long?" Clay demanded, glaring down at his subordinate, his eyes narrowing as he watched the mental tug of war "Hurry it up Zero!"

"Yes, Doctor…" Zero concurred, clenching her fist, Ryoko's teeth gritting as the goo restraining her was electrified, the pirate loosing a snarl of agony, only to curse as she lost her concentration, the gem vanishing from her wrist, affixing itself to Zero's, the clone examining it with a smile, before looking up at her master for further instructions.

"It seems to have worked THIS time…" Clay muttered, the old man sitting back in his chair with a sigh, only to clasp his hands together and frown "However…" he muttered, eyeing Ryoko's struggling form as he quirked a brow "I WAS going to destroy her on the spot…" he admitted, only to smirk as he turned his chair so it's back was to the screen "but…she might be worth taking the time to STUDY."

So saying, the old man instructed his ship to return to the hyperspace portal it had secluded itself in to avoid Washu's scanners, vanishing beneath the tree line once more, Ryoko gritting her teeth, her struggles renewing as she began to sink beneath the ground, reaching desperately for her clones features as she sank beneath the ground.

"Tenchi…!" the pirate exclaimed, her ochre eyes wide in desperation, only to vanish beneath the cold, hard ground, her last conscious memory that of her own features starign down at her impassively.

* * *

Kyugan: So yeah, not a lot different from canon, though Ryoko resisted a littled harder this time.

Ryoko I still don't see how I wasn't able to break free.

Washu: It's simple really. Clay must've designed that net to handle the power level you possessed when Kagato forced you to attack Jurai. Sure he couldn't even come close, but it was still stronger than the You at the moment could handle.

Ryoko: Bloody technophiles...

Washu: Oh? Sounds like someone wants to help mommy in the lab...

Kyugan: (sweatdropping as Ryoko hides behind him) Uh...don't you have Raditz in there right now?

Washu: Oh yeah!

Radit: GET ME OUTTA HERE!

Washu: Just hold on my little love monkey!

Raditz: WHO ARE YOU CALLING A LOVE MONKEY? WAIT! NO! DON'T TOUCH-!

Ryoko: (Winces) and people say I'M a sexual deviant.

Kyugan: Like mother like daughter.

R&R!


	14. Chapter 14

Last time, on Saiyan Muyo!

The Gang settles down in the wake of the destuction brought on by Tarble and the Shinseijuu. However, it seems a blast from the Washu's past has come a calling, and he's taken Ryoko Hostage!

Ryoko: Let me out of here!

Clay: Muahahahahahaha-!

Will our heroes discover his fiendish plot? Or will they be destroyed from within?

Zero/Ryoko: Mission Start.

* * *

Chapter 13: No Need for a Mission!

"It really is good of you to help me with my Research, Raditz." Washu offered, the redhead humming happily as her fingers blurred over the keyboards of her inter-dimensional laptop "Tenchi and Ryoko always make such a fuss, it's nice to see someone who appreciates the advancement of science without trying to gnaw their leg off to escape."

"Believe me Woman…" Raditz growled, the Saiyan Guardsman stripped down to his underwear, a pair of spandex boxers, struggling in the confines of Washu's restraining tentacles as he glared at the redhead, veins bulging on his brow "when I get out of here, you won't HAVE any limbs to gnaw off when I'm through with you!"

"Right, right…" Washu chuckled, ignoring the burly Saiyan's vows of grievous bodily harm to her person "You're really making such a big fuss about nothing, I simply want to update my information on the Saiyans, surely there's nothing wrong with that?"

"I'm not a damn LAB RAT woman!" Raditz snarled, muscles bulging as he pumped additional Ki into his limbs, the mechanical tendrils whining as they struggled to hold the Saiyan in place.

"Fascinating!" Washu hummed, looking like a cat that got the canary as she watched the data pour across the screens "Muscular density, energy output, structural integrity…You Saiyans have come a LONG way from the cave-dwelling monkeys I first encountered."

"Why don't you step a little closer?" Raditz growled, the Saiyan glaring down at the redhead, teeth clenched as he smirked "I'll give you a first hand taste of how 'ADVANCED' I am."

"Oh Raditz, really!" Washu chuckled, covering her cheeks and blushing, though the look in her eyes was teasing as she turned her face away "First you assault me in the bath and now this? Such conduct just wouldn't be proper!"

"THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT AND YOU KNOW IT!" Raditz snapped, glaring down at the redhead in fury, a faint hint of red adorning the tops of his cheeks "Great GALAXIES! You're the most annoying, vulgar thing I've ever had the misfortune of running across in my entire life!"

"Oh I bet you say that to all the cute, brilliant scientists out there!" Washu teased, smiling coyly up at the massive warrior "Admit it, you like it when they talk dirty, don't ya?"

"THAT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!" Raditz snarled, glaring at the redhead, his own skull enlarged to impressive proportions in his ire, only to return to normal with a blink in the face of Washu's unnerving smile.

"I see…" the redhead chuckled, her shoulders shaking as she covered her mouth with the back of her hand, a distinctly feline look of amusement on her face "So that's how it is…Mr. Big bad Saiyan's just a space cherry!"

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Raditz roared, the flushing Saiyan leaping forwards, teeth clenched and muscles straining as his hands stopped short of the startled redhead's neck, Washu looking on in surprise as he actually managed to overpower her restraints for a few seconds, before the mechanical tendrils snapped him back against the wall.

"Touchy subject I take it?" Washu questioned, the redhead's outward appearance calm, though internally her heart was pounding a mile a minute at how close the big warrior had come to actually grabbing her "Suppose I can relate, I was a bit of a late bloomer myself." She sighed at the memories "Such a shame my old ex turned out to be the type to put family honour over marital vows."

"You sure you didn't drive him off?" Raditz shot back, the Saiyan grimacing in anger, only to smirk as he eyed the redhead "Or maybe he's still here, floating around in a formaldehyde jar somewhere?"

"No…" Washu countered, her tone distant, a strange, sad smile adorning her features as she gazed down at her laptop "He's gone…" she insisted, one hand coming up to touch her stomach "probably passed on a while back…"

Raditz said nothing, the big Saiyan merely frowning as he looked down at the redhead, noting how…SMALL she appeared, the complete opposite of her usual obnoxious self, whose ego could fill the entirety of her lab.

"Ah well!" Washu chirped, her old, teasing smile on her face as she sat up "Good riddance to old rubbish!" she smirked "and between you and me, he was a bit of a wet blanket, if you catch my drift."

"Vulgar woman…" Raditz muttered, glaring at the redhead as she threw her head back and cackled, idly wondering just what kind of man her EX had been, and what could have driven him away. Well, aside from the GLARINGLY obvious, that is.

"Washu-san…" a voice called out, the duo looking up just as Tenchi walked into the lab, the young prince flushing slightly at the sight of Raditz trussed up in an all-too-familiar position "Uh…sorry to intrude…" he stammered, doing his merry best to avoid looking the Saiyan in the eye "I was just wondering…have you seen Ryoko?"

"Not since breakfast." Washu countered, shaking her head with a confused frown as she turned to her 'favourite' guinea pig "Why, something wrong Tenchi-dono?"

"Not exactly…" Tenchi muttered, the unwilling heir to the Juraian throne rubbing the back of his neck as he spoke "It's just…I got this weird feeling…like a chill went down my spine, and I suddenly wondered where she was."

"Huh…sounds like a bond to me…" Raditz muttered, earning a look of confusion from the quarter-Juraian teen, and a look of intrigue from Washu as he hung in the air.

"Hmm," the redhead wondered "You mean the empathetic bond that Saiyans share between their 'partners' and family members, right? I remember doing a thesis on it a while back…"

"It's not so much empathy…" Raditz countered, scowling at the redhead, nodding his head towards his restraints, which vanished accordingly "We Saiyans possess a limited form of telepathy," he continued, rubbing his wrists as he touched down on the lab floor "enough that we can sometimes TELL when something happens to one another, though it's usually strongest with family members or those you know well."

"But…Ryoko's not a Saiyan…" Tenchi stammered, the mortified teen looking between the duo in confusion, and a bit of embarrassment at the mention of 'partners'. After all, in this house, such talk could lead to explosions.

"Not EXACTLY, no." Washu agreed, nodding her head as she crossed her arms, holding up a finger for emphasis "However, I based her design off them, enough so that I incorporated some of their more obvious traits into her genetic makeup, her hair and tail for example, though I also incorporated Saiyan durability and fighting instincts as well."

"So she's pretty much Saiyan in all things but blood." Raditz muttered, the big Saiyan smirking wryly to himself as he recalled that morning's spar "Explains a LOT actually." His eyes glanced in Tenchi's directions "Though her taste in mates is questionable."

"M-M-M-MATES?" Tenchi stammered, his features turning red at the Saiyan's insinuation, earning a cackle from the other two at his expense "But I…Ryoko and I aren't like that!"

"Not YET." Raditz countered, the Saiyan guardsman levelling an intimidating smirk in the red-faced teen's direction as he crossed his arms "Trust me boy, if she's HALF the Saiyan I think she is, she's going to stake her claim REAL soon."

Tenchi flushed, not liking the sound of THAT one bit, only to flush as his guilty mind contradicted him, several images rising to the fore despite his best effort. He WAS only a teenage, human male after all.

"In any case," said teen muttered, shaking his head to clear his thoughts, coughing into his fist to cover up his embarrassment as he looked back at the duo "Sasami-chan wanted me to let you both know that dinner will be ready soon."

"Best news I've heard all day." Raditz muttered stepping past the teen while rotating his shoulder to work out the kinks, glaring at Washu who merely smiled at him in a distinctly feline manner "The sooner I'm out of here the better."

"Aw, Radish-kun…" Washu sighed, holding a hand to her cheek, feigning a look of emotional anguish as she looked to the side "I'd have let you eat ME if you asked."

"I don't eat junk food." Raditz shot back, disappearing through the dread portal while Washu twitched, glaring at the Saiyan with a hint of approval in her eyes.

"Junk food huh…?" she muttered, her lips quirking in a devious smile as she began to chuckle to herself "Of course he realizes this means WAR."

Tenchi, watching the redhead cackle from the shadows, made a mental note to sit FAR away from the pair that evening.

* * *

Zero charged through the woods, putting Ryoko's borrowed form through the ropes, testing the limit's of it's mobility whilst avoiding raising her energy level to high, favouring speed and stealth over unnecessary force, as even if her mimicry of Ryoko's form, memories and abilities was nigh impregnable, that didn't mean that she should just go in fists blazing.

No, stealth was the watchword for this mission, and fortunately for her, Ryoko's powers of teleportation, phasing and invisibility were MOST suited to the task assigned to her.

Tapping lightly across the lake towards the Masaki home, the doppelganger slunk up against the wall, peering into the dining room, a smirk adorning her features as her ochre eyes landed on her target. 'Washu…' she noted, eyeing the scientist in dark amusement as she walked into view 'So that's the woman who's brilliance supposedly surpasses the Doctor's...'

She turned her attention to the rest of the group, only to blink at the sight of the large, muscular man with a mane of spiky black hair that the redhead was chatting animatedly with, eyes widening as she espied the tail wrapped around his waist 'A Saiyan? Here?' she exclaimed, pulling up Ryoko's memories to identify the massive warrior 'How is that possible? The Doctor's data states that the Saiyan home world was erased…!'

This would take some extra care it seemed. Saiyans were notably tenacious and territorial, and Ryoko's memories on the subject depicted a VERY unsettling picture of this one in particular.

'Perhaps a new approach would be better…' Zero muttered, watching as Washu sat across from the Saiyan at the table, the big warrior ignoring her in favour of glaring at the food for some reason 'If this Raditz is as dangerous as Ryoko's memories imply, it would be better to avoid a direct assault…'

"Oh, Ryoko!" a voice announced, the clone whipping round to see a young, teenage earthling male standing on the porch, looking at her in confusion "What are you doing here? You're keeping everyone waiting you know!"

'W-What?' Zero stammered, her face lighting up like a floodlight as she found herself unable to draw her eyes away from the teen, her tail bristling, twitching from side to side as her heart rate skyrocketed 'What is this…what's happening to me…?'

Within the doppelganger's borrowed mind, new emotions began rising to the surface. Normally, the safeguards put in place by Doctor Clay would prevent such inconveniences from taking hold, but for some reason, those fail-safes were swept aside like a wall of sand before high tide. 'This…boy…' she stammered, holding her heart with one hand as she doubled over, her breath coming in ragged gulps as each individual beat of her heart sent new rushes of emotion through her 'Tenchi Masaki…I knew him from the moment Ryoko's memories were assimilated…' she felt her canines grow as she looked up at him 'but this…there is no recollection of such a reaction…what is this?'

* * *

_Tenchi's POV..._

"Ryoko?" Tenchi called out, the quarter-juraian teen's stern expression slowly shifting to one of confused concern as he continued to stare at the flushed, trembling pirate "Are you alright? You're looking a little flushed..."

"Ten…chi…" the cyan haired woman stammered, her tone low, husky, that is, huskier than NORMAL as she stepped towards him, a dazed look in her ochre eyes, which Tenchi noted were slightly glazed even as her hands reached out for his face.

"Ryoko?" Tenchi stammered, backing away from his most ardent pursuer "Are you drunk again?" he demanded, trying to sound disapproving "I thought I told you not to drink so much before-!"

His eyes widened as the space pirate flung her arms out, enveloping his head and pulling him close to her, though unlike her normally enthusiastic glomp, this one was gentle, tender, the cyan haired young woman pressing their cheeks together as she gasped.

"Ryoko?" he stammered, swallowing nervously as he felt the pirate tremble as she held him, her hands gripping the back of his shirt as she panted "C'mon…" he muttered, reaching up to pat the pirate soothingly on the back "let's go inside and you can freshen up-!"

He trailed off, letting out a gasp as his most ardent pursuer pushed forwards, letting out a yelp as he crashed onto his back on the pagoda. He winced, eyes shut from the impact, only to widen, a chill racing down his spine as he felt the pirate's breath on the skin of his neck.

"R-Ryoko…?" he queried, gazing up at the spiky, cyan haired woman in confusion, marvelling at her beauty as she was framed by the glow of the full moon, only to blink at the dazed, flushed expression on her face, her eyes looking THROUGH him as she leant in closer "Wha-what are you-!"

His words were replaced by a startled gasp as the space pirate leant in, her lips wide, revealing pointed canines, which pierced the side of his neck, earning twin trails of blood and sending a jolt through the teen's body.

"RYOKO~!" a voice roared, the space pirate's presence atop the startled teen vanishing as something slammed into her with the force of a freight train, sending her skidding across the dock on all fours. "How dare you!" Ayeka snapped, the princess looking highly irate as she stood over the stunned Tenchi, glaring heatedly at her rival "How DARE you assault Tenchi-sama in such a BRAZEN fashion-!"

"Ayeka wait-!" Tenchi began, getting to his feet, a hand clamped over his neck to stem the bleeding, only to trail off as a low growl sounded from the end of the walkway.

* * *

_Zero's POV..._

"Mine…" Zero growled, the doppelganger's mental faculties completely overpowered by a sense of inexplicable rage as she glared at the interloper, her borrowed features decidedly more feral than normal, "No interfere…MINE-!"

"Ryoko?" the princess blinked, her expression of righteous fury giving way to understandable concern, as even with only one gem, Ryoko WAS the only woman to successfully lay siege to Jurai, only to choke as a fist rammed into her stomach, slamming her into the side of the house, only for a follow-up blow to the cheek that sent her sprawling across the walkway.

"Ayeka!" Tenchi exclaimed, looking on in concern as Zero, the doppelganger's eyes glowing ominously, leapt on the downed princess and began clawing at her "Ryoko!" he exclaimed, grabbing the woman's shoulder with his own, only to be tossed aside as she continued to snarl at the princess "That's enough! What's wrong with you?"

"Move aside." A deep voice muttered, Tenchi looking up in surprise as Raditz walked past, the Saiyan guardsman's features stern, his eyes locked on Zero's back as she continued to struggle with Ayeka.

In one swift movement, Raditz stepped forward, grabbing the cyan haired woman by the scruff of her neck and hoisting her off Ayeka, who backed away from them in alarm, her face lined with scratches.

Snarling at the interference, the doppelganger rounded on the Saiyan, Raditz loosing a snarl of his own as one of her nails clawed at his cheek, only to ram his fist into her stomach, Zero's eyes widening, the dazed, furious sheen vanishing for a moment, before the world went black around her.

* * *

"Ryoko!" Tenchi exclaimed, the stunned teen looking at the unconscious woman in alarm, before rounding on Raditz with a distraught, if angry expression "You didn't have to hurt her!"

"I had to knock her out before she looked UP." Raditz countered, inclining his head up at the night sky, whilst carefully keeping his gaze down, Tenchi looking up at the full moon shining overhead in confusion "At the rate things were going, she could've ripped the princess here to shreds."

"What the devil happened to her?" Ayeka demanded, the princess accepting Tenchi's hand, leaning against him as she held a hand to her clawed cheeks "I've never seen Ryoko so…VIOLENT before."

Which was true, Tenchi noted offhandedly as he eyed the unconscious pirate. No matter how ugly things got between the pirate and the princess, Ryoko generally did her best to avoid anything that might permanently harm her rival, mainly out of respect for Tenchi's feelings, though it might also have something to do with the fact that, deep down, she actually LIKED Ayeka.

"I TOLD you that she'd start staking her claim sooner or later." Raditz pointed out, snorting at Tenchi's look of confusion "She might not be of Saiyan blood, but she's enough like us that simply bathing in the light of a full moon can kick-start her instincts."

"Instincts?" Tenchi stammered, the teen's eyes widened as he recalled the conversation back in Washu's lab "wait…you don't mean…THOSE kind of instincts?"

"Got it in one…" Raditz muttered, smirking at the teen's look of embarrassment as he hoisted the space pirate up like a kitten "Females, especially the younger ones, are especially receptive on nights of the full moon…they're also VERY territorial, which makes it VERY lucky for the princess that I came along when I did…" he smirked at Ayeka's scowling face "Female Saiyans take competition VERY seriously…DEAD seriously you might say."

"But Ryoko ISN'T a Saiyan!" Tenchi exclaimed, even as Ayeka turned several shades of pale at the guardsman's revelation "She might have been modelled after them, but she's never acted like this before!"

"That's because Kagato meddled with her not long after she was born." Washu opined, the redhead appearing from around the corner, a concerned Sasami and Mihoshi peering around the side "He messed with her mind, blocking off most of her emotions save for those tied to her desire for combat, in order to completely control her." She eyed her unconscious daughter with a concerned frown "I'm guessing that with Kagato gone, Raditz and Tarble's presence must have reawakened her dormant instincts."

"Ano…" Mihoshi called out, raising a hand in confusion "Ano…if that's the case…why aren't Tarble-kun and Raditz-san going all scary too?"

"Tarble-sama is a member of the Royalty." Raditz supplied, frowning in the blonde detectives general direction for her familiarity with his Prince's name, though he didn't put much heat into it "The 'rutting' instinct doesn't affect them as badly as the rest."

"Well that explains Table-kun." Washu noted, the redhead smirking up at the Saiyan guardsman coyly "Though it STILL leaves YOU unaccounted for big guy."

"I am not an adolescent teen, woman." Raditz countered with a growl, meeting the redhead's emerald stare head on with a glare of his own obsidian pair "Even if I was, I highly doubt I'd go into a rut over anyone here."

"Is that so?" Washu demanded, quirking an eyebrow up at the guardsman coyly, smirking as he averted his gaze with a snort "Well either way, we can't have Ryoko wigging out every time someone gets too close to Tenchi-dono for her liking…for one thing, I don't think the house could survive the experience."

"The effects will dampen once the full moon is past." Raditz muttered, slinging the unconscious pirate over his shoulder with a grunt "so we should have plenty of time to condition her so she doesn't lose control."

"Hate to burst your bubble there, big banana, but the earth's moon moves a little faster than the one on Vegetasei." Washu pointed out, her arms crossed with a smile "It does a full circle every thirty days, and the full moon lasts for THREE, so Ryoko's gonna be pretty bushy tailed for a while."

"Wonderful…" Raditz muttered, palming his face with his free hand as he glared at Ryoko, or more accurately her rump, as she lay prone over his shoulder, only to scowl as his stomach growled "To hell with this." He muttered "I'm too hungry for this shit right now…we'll talk about what to do AFTER I've gotten some food in me."

"Typical Saiyan." Washu chuckled, smirking in response to Raditz's glare as he stomped past her, Ryoko slung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, the redhead loosing a bemused sigh as she shook her head "Ah the joys of puberty…" she exclaimed, clasping her hands together with stars in her eyes "my little girl's FINALLY growing up!"

The rest of the group sweat dropped, Ayeka muttering under her breath about 'insanity running in the family' as Sasami rubbed iodine on the scratches adorning her cheeks, while Tenchi simply shook his head in exasperation.

Right about now, he was starting to wish he'd taken his Grandfather up on the 'chastity belt', even if it HAD only been a sake-influenced joke.

* * *

And we'll leave off there for now.

How will Tenchi react to THIS latest scenario?

How will Clay React to this Little development in his plans?

And how will Ryoko react when she finds out her clone almost got to first base with her man?

Ryoko: I'LL KILL HER!

Kyugan: Of course you will.


	15. Chapter 15

Last time, on Saiyan Muyo!

Zero's attempt to assume Ryoko's form to kidnap Washu ran into an...unexpected obstacle.

Zero: (holding Tenchi's balls) THESE ARE MINE! THESE ARE WHERE MY BABIES COME FROM!

Tenchi: I NEED AN ADULT! (glares at his father, who is, of course, recording everything) A RESPONSIBLE ADULT!

How will the Masaki house deal with this new Ryoko?

Raditz: Who the hell are you people?

* * *

Chapter 14: No need for Lessons.

Tenchi grimaced, the quarter-Juraian looking up at his bedroom ceiling in a daze, wincing at a beam of sunlight that nailed him right in the eye, turning his head to the side to examine his alarm clock, which sat silently ticking away the hours.

'Still too early to get up…' he muttered, closing his eyes with a sigh at the realization, moving to roll over, deciding to try and get some more sleep before he was forced to go tend the fields, only to freeze as he found himself unable to move.

'What?' he wondered, going still, trying not to give any outward sign that he was aware of the situation as he eyed the room. When no restraining devices were spotted, he wisely deduced that the weight pinning him down had nothing to do with Washu, and so took the risk of tilting his head slightly to examine the weight on his chest.

Sure enough, a mane of spiky cyan hair greeted him, Ryoko's slumbering features set in a content smile, like a cat that has gotten the cream, the canary, and shot the annoying beagle next door, as she snuggled against the teen's chest.

'At least she isn't naked…' Tenchi muttered, recalling more than a few occasions when the space pirate would phase in wearing naught but her birthday suit, though it didn't change the awkwardness of the situation, as one: his bladder, which he realized was the reason he had roused in the first place, was about to burst, and secondly, his little soldier was currently standing to attention.

'How do I get myself into these messes?' he wondered, eyeing the room, trying to determine the best course of action short of rousing Ryoko, as she'd certainly take advantage of the situation once she espied 'Lil Tenchi' so energetic in the morning 'Did I piss someone off in a past life?'

Almost as if to answer his query, Ryoko hummed, the pirate's grip around him tightening gently, the teen looking on nervously as her ochre eyes slowly opened, looking up at him dazedly. "M-Morning, Ryoko…" he greeted, trying to keep the nervousness out of his tone, as from what little he'd learned of the pirate, she seemed to get off on making people squirm.

"Tenchi…" the pirate purred, her ochre eyes half shutting as she crawled up his torso, arms wrapping around his neck, the teen tensing slightly, only to relax as the pirate seemed content in simply rubbing her cheeks against his own "Morning…"

"Uh….yeah…" Tenchi stammered, struggling to keep his hormones under control as the pirate pressed herself against him "Uh Ryoko…could you…lemme get up for a sec?" he smiled weakly at her look of confusion "Nature's calling…"

Ryoko blinked, looking puzzled for a moment, only to flush scarlet as she gazed down at his crotch, releasing the teen with a startled yelp, turning her back to him as she clapped her hands over her cheeks.

'Wow…' Tenchi stammered, his brain rebooting itself from the sight of the normally bold pirate acting so…CUTE 'Is this what she's going to be like whenever the moon's full from now on?' he wondered, slipping out from under the covers and making his way out the door to the bathroom across the hall.

Last night, after gorging himself on Sasami's excellent cooking, Raditz had given them all brief run-down of just what they could expect from Ryoko until the full moon passed, going by his prior experience with his own people. The Space Pirate was likely to be a little more clingy than usual, and increasingly more territorial as a result, which meant that ANY and all interactions Tenchi had with the other female residents would have to be carried out with even more tact than normal, though Sasami and Ryo-Ohki, being children, were possibly exempt.

The pirate was likely to be more emotional as well, at least according to Washu's input, since Ryoko lacked the typical Saiyan attributes that, according to the redhead, allowed the brutes to suppress such 'inconsequential things' as emotion.

'In hindsight, she WAS asking for it.' Tenchi murmured, sweatdropping as he recalled how Raditz had swatted the redhead upside the head with his tail for her indirect mockery, sending her face first into the mashed potatoes, an act which she rewarded by constructing a 'Carrot gun' at the table, launching the crispy orange vegetables at the Saiyan like machine gun bullets, much to the dismay of Ryo-Ohki 'Honestly, I don't know if those two hate each other or like each other.'

Snorting at the latter, casting the whole idea aside as absurd, Tenchi cleaned himself off, closing the door behind him as the toilet flushed, only to pull up short as he found Ryoko leaning against the wall, waiting for him to come out. "Tenchi…" the pirate purred, smiling at him, her ochre eyes filled with adoration as she pushed off from the wall, hands clasped behind her back.

"R-Ryoko…" Tenchi stammered, backing away from the pirate uncertainly, his eyes closed as he smiled weakly "R-Remember…control…"

"Oi." A voice called out, the duo practically leaping out of their skins, turning round to find Raditz standing behind them, a bucket of bathing supplies under one arm and an irritable expression on his face "I thought I told you not to encourage her, brat?"

"I WASN'T!" Tenchi countered, looking at the guardsman exasperatedly while Ryoko ducked behind him for cover "She was just…in my…!"

"Right," Raditz muttered, shaking his head with an exasperated growl, shooting an annoyed glare over the teen's shoulder towards Ryoko, who blinked "Meet me at the usual spot after breakfast." He muttered, snorting at her look of surprise "Don't think you're getting out of sparring just because your hormones are out of whack."

"B-But-!" Ryoko stammered, looking up at the Saiyan guardsman in confusion, only to quail before the intensity of his no-nonsense glare and bow her head "Yes sir…"

"And as for you…" Raditz muttered, turning his attention to Tenchi, who stood straighter, wondering what the Saiyan wanted from HIM "Get some pants on, we don't need you encouraging her any more that you already have."

Tenchi simply nodded mutely and trudged off to his room, all thoughts of sleep driven out of his mind as he made sure to buckle his belt on EXTRA tight, just to be sure.

* * *

_Clay's ship..._

"A Saiyan?" Clay repeated, the doctor's sole remaining eye bulging out of its socket at Zero's latest report, his assistant having decided to relay her findings while Tenchi and Raditz were preoccupied "Are you CERTAIN?"

"Positive." Zero supplied, Ryoko's features lined with absolute certainty "There can be no doubt, all readings and Ryoko's memories confirm that the two males, Tarble and Raditz, are full blooded Saiyans."

"Incredible…" Clay murmured, sitting back in his chair as he pondered over this latest little wrinkle in their plans "I had been informed that the Saiyans had been all wiped out by Frieza…to think that there were survivors…"

"Not only that." Zero continued, her features calm as she relayed her recent findings "It would appear that Washu modelled Ryoko's body after the Saiyans'."

"Did she now…?" Clay muttered, the doctor's eyes quirking with interest at this latest piece of information "Well that CERTAINLY factors in for her combat ability…though to think Washu would be so…daring. Had the academy learned of this when we were students, they'd have had her LYNCHED."

"I must go." Zero reported, the doppelganger looking uncomfortable as she spoke "The Saiyan, Raditz, seems to have taken an interest in Ryoko as a sparring partner, if I do not attend his sessions, he may become suspicious."

"Very well," Clay muttered, grimacing at this latest set-back, as the last thing he needed was for a full-grown male Saiyan coming after him in a territorial rage. The last time he'd gotten too close to a Saiyan it had cost him his eye, and that had been an INFANT he'd wanted to dissect for study.

'It was almost worth it to vaporize the little bugger…' he mused, rubbing the orb that served as his replacement eye fondly, smirking to himself as he turned to examine the scowling figure of Ryoko, as the space pirate struggled to escape from the examination tank she'd been tossed into, naked 'Ah well…I suppose I can make up for lost time now…'

* * *

_Masaki shrine forest... _

"What's wrong?" Raditz demanded, the Saiyan guardsman sneering at Zero as the two grappled in mid-air, the doppelganger on the defensive "Your moves are so sloppy I'm barely even trying!"

"Shut up!" Zero shot back, phasing out of existence, reappearing behind the Saiyan, only to yelp as he spun round, delivering a punishing backhand to the face that spun her around in mid-air.

"C'mon!" Raditz urged, smirking ferally as he grabbed her leg by the ankle, spinning the doppelganger around before hurling her towards the earth "Keep your eye on the Birdie!" he called out, sending a massive blast of ki hurtling down on top of her.

Cursing, Zero didn't try to stop herself, instead phasing through the ground the moment she hit, the blast of ki impacting, sending up a cloud of smoke that obscured the ground from view.

"Blast it!" the Saiyan guardsman swore, turning his head from side to side, trying to catch some clue as to where the pirate was hiding "Where are you? Don't tell me you're running away!"

"Who, me?" Zero queried, her tone decidedly smug as she phased back into existence behind Raditz, her energy sword against the Saiyan's throat as they floated back to back.

"Heh…" Raditz snorted, the big Saiyan getting over his shock relatively quickly as he crossed his arms, as if the energy blade at his throat was no threat "Not bad…you're starting to use your head…" he smirked as his tail lashed out, wrapping around her wrist and pulling it away from his throat "But it's not good ENOUGH!"

"Damn!" Zero swore, only for the Saiyan's massive hand to grab her by the throat, her sword vanishing as he surged towards the ground, releasing her neck as he pulled up at the last second, causing her to slam mercilessly into the ground.

"Not bad…" Raditz complimented, hovering down before the crater as Zero struggled to pull herself out of it, a thumb coming up to stroke his cheek "You drew first blood, been a while since that happened."

"You're not the only one that can improve, Radish-head." Zero shot back, her borrowed memories of Ryoko's interactions with the Saiyan allowing her to emulate the pirate's response almost perfectly.

"Cute." Raditz snorted, smirking dismissively down at the pirate as he uncrossed his arms, holding out a hand to help her up, only to rap his knuckles against her skull when she reached out to accept it "Keep it up, see where it leads you."

"Ite-!" the doppelganger swore, clutching her abused noggin in an attempt to sooth the steaming goose egg that formed there, glaring up at the unrepentant Saiyan through her tears "That hurt teme!"

"Good, maybe I'm finally getting through to you." Raditz muttered, crossing his arm as he stood over the pirate with a critical look in his eyes "I'll give the woman one thing," he muttered, causing Ryoko to blink "When she designed you, she did a pretty good job emulating our race's characteristics. Half the time when we were sparring up there, I almost felt like I was sparring with one of my people again."

"Your people huh…" Zero muttered, rubbing her hand through Ryoko's cyan locks, the pirate's features etched into a frown as she eyed the Saiyan Guardsman "What were they like? I mean I've run into a few on missions back in the day, but nobody's heard so much as a peep out of them for years now."

"Curious as to your ancestry are you?" Raditz muttered, eyeing the pirate with a critical stare that Zero matched, the Saiyan snorting at the pirate's expression, turning his head to look up at the stars "It's nothing too special. We were a warrior race, when we weren't off clearing planets for Frieza, we were milling around waiting for new orders to come in."

"Surely there must've been more than THAT." Zero prodded, her own natural curiosity getting the better of Ryoko's lack of interest "I mean, surely when you weren't off world you must've done SOMETHING."

"Not really." Raditz shrugged, his eyes going distant "If we were old enough, we went to bars and passed the night drinking, though there isn't a beverage in the universe capable of getting a Saiyan drunk." He added the last bit with a smirk "Those of us that were lucky to have a mate planet side at the time usually spent the time in each other's company, I'm SURE you can imagine what went on then."

"Really gives new meaning to the words 'Kinky Monkey Sex', don't it?" Zero teased in Ryoko's snide tone, earning a warning glare from the Saiyan as she held up her hands in surrender "What about family?" she prodded "I mean, did you ever visit them when you weren't off butchering people?"

"My father was a low-level soldier that worked his way up to captain of his own squad." Raditz replied, his arms crossed before him "They were off world so often about the only times we'd see one another was at refuelling planets, or on the occasional off chance we both got leave."

"What about your mother?" Zero queried, not out of any particular interest, the doppelganger simply looking for information to complete a dossier on the Saiyan in case he became an enemy "You an only child, or should I keep an eye out for any walking shrubbery bushes in the near future?"

"I only met the woman a few times, she was usually off-world with the old man." Raditz admitted with a dismissive shrug "As for siblings…last I heard she and oyaji had another kid not too long before Vegetasei blew up."

"You think he made it off alright?" Zero queried, feeling Ryoko's sympathy for the Saiyan warrior, only to blink as he shrugged dismissively.

"Don't get me wrong, I never met the brat." Raditz muttered "Low-level Saiyans don't have the luxury of waiting nine months for the brats to pop out. I don't know the EXACT details, but from what little I garnered over the years, once a foetus has been confirmed, it's transferred to a tank, which incubates it while the parents are off on missions." He shrugged "After the nine months are up, unless the parents say otherwise, the rugrats are sent off on a purging mission."

"That's…so wrong." Zero murmured, feeling Ryoko's revulsion and fear at the idea of a child being cast off alone into the cold depths of space without ever knowing the touch of its parents "How could you send them off like that? What if they died?"

"Then they died." Raditz countered, the Saiyan's tone dismissive as he matched her scowl with one of his own "Don't look at me like that. We Saiyans were BUILT for destruction, we had no need for weaklings that couldn't look after themselves."

Zero frowned, looking up at the Saiyan guardsman, matching his flat stare with her own heated one, lost in Ryoko's rage at the dismissive way he pushed the deaths of countless children aside. "What about you?" she asked, looking the massive warrior up and down with a cold glare "Were YOU sent off world as a baby?"

"I was." Raditz admitted, earning a startled look from the pirate "What's the matter? I TOLD you I was born a low-level. I was stuffed into a pod and sent off to some backwater colony to clear out before I'd even opened my eyes." He smirked wryly "As you can see, I survived."

"Did your parents now you'd been sent out?" Zero demanded, only to brush it aside, recalling the Saiyans earlier words regarding permission.

"They did." Raditz admitted, snorting to himself as he recalled his return to Vegeta-sei, stepping out of the pod to glare up at his sire and dam "About the first and only time I ever saw 'em together was when I returned to Vegeta-sei ten years later…" he smirked at the memory "No sooner was I outta the pod did the old man make a crack about my hair…he wasn't laughing when I scarred his cheek for it though." He snorted as he recalled the ensuing rumble that had gone down at the spaceport, his mother looking on from the sidelines as father and son beat the living shit out of one another "Good times."

"I take it you and your family weren't very close." Zero muttered, shivering slightly at the slightly deranged look on the Saiyan's face "Going by Turles alone your father must've been…"

"Turles was no kin of mine." Raditz growled, glaring at the woman warningly "My father might have been a low-level, but he was a proud Saiyan warrior, he'd NEVER turn his back on the edicts of our people for his own personal glory."

"Edicts?" Zero queried, her own curiosity joining that of Ryoko's, as this was the first either party, indeed anyone, had heard of the elusive Saiyan code of edicts "You people actually HAVE a code of edicts?"

"Contrary to POPULAR belief," Raditz scoffed mockingly "We're NOT a pack of brainless barbarians. There's a code of behaviour that any Saiyan worth his tail will follow if he doesn't want to disgrace himself."

"Such as?" Zero queried, sitting cross-legged before the warrior, her tail, or rather Ryoko's tail, quirking behind her as she listened in, eager to record this information, for future studies of course.

"They're for Saiyans only." Raditz muttered, his brows furrowing as he scowled at the woman, only to soften as he took in her appearance "Still…I suppose you're as close to a Saiyan as one can get…hell for all I know you could've been based off of one of my ancestors."

"Guess that makes us practically family then huh?" Zero pointed out, her tone teasing as she allowed a wry smirk to adorn her features, only to blink as she caught Raditz looking at her, an unusual expression on his face.

"Most of the edicts are to do with conduct in battle." The Saiyan muttered after a moment's tense silence, squatting down so that he was sitting on a rock before the cyan haired woman, who shuffled closer to hear better "But there are other edicts that are just as, if not MORE important, such as our treatment of females."

"Treatment?" Zero repeated, blinking in confusion even as she felt Ryoko's temper flare within her "Hey! Don't tell me that women are treated differently?"

"Of course they are, but not out of some retarded notion that they're weaker." Raditz countered, a mocking expression on his face "Hell Prince Tarble's mother was the strongest female elite on the planet. She was actually the King's personal bodyguard at one point I believe." He waved a hand dismissively "No, the reasons females were treated differently was because there were so few of them. Out of the entire population, only One in Four would've been female."

"So they were given special treatment then?" Zero wondered, quirking a cyan brow as she eyed the massive warrior "Special how?"

"Only the women and those in charge of upholding the laws knew EVERY law which applied to them." Raditz admitted with a shrug "Suffice to say, Vegetasei was one of the few planets in the universe where women had little fear of being assaulted or raped."

"Oh yeah…" Zero muttered, her brows furrowing as she pulled up Ryoko's memories from the battle with Tarble "You mentioned something like that when we fought Tarble…I never thanked you for that did I?"

"You're welcome." Raditz quipped, the two of them sneering at one another, even as the Saiyan got to his feet "Alright, I'd say that's enough of a break…" he muttered, rotating his shoulder to limber up "What say we get back to business?"

"Try not to hurt yourself old man." Ryoko sneered, phasing out of sight, only to reappear above Raditz's head, unleashing a blast of energy from on high "I wanna do that FOR YOU!"

"Little BRAT!" Raditz roared, leaping into the air with a snarl, though there was a strange light that danced in his eyes, a light that was oddly reminiscent of a fight from his childhood, as he and his father pummelled one another while his mother looked on in bemusement.

* * *

_Clay's ship..._

"Damn Washu!" Clay muttered, the doctor looking on as the target of his rage walked casually back into the house, having just seen a young man off at the door "If it weren't for those blasted Saiyans she'd have already fallen into our hands by now."

He frowned, the camera zooming in on the young man as he raced off towards the fields in the distance "Funny…" he muttered, taking in the teen's overall boring appearance "She called that boy her 'Guinea Pig'…what on earth could he possibly have that would merit such a title? I mean the Saiyans I can understand, studying an extinct species is well within the lines of her psyche, but this boy looks like someone you'd walk past on the street…hell if he had LESS presence you could walk THROUGH him."

He frowned, wondering if he should contact Zero to see how she was doing, only to freeze as Washu looked up, wondering if he'd been detected, only to release a sigh of relief as the Saiyan warrior from Zero's report dropped out of the sky, Zero slung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

'I can't believe Zero could've lost a fight…' the doctor murmured, his good eye nonetheless widening in appreciation as he looked over the damage reports being sent to him by the automaton 'The Saiyans truly are an amazing species…'

He paused, listening in on the conversation between the two, grinning eagerly as Washu offered to take 'Ryoko' to the onsen to freshen up. "This is the chance we've been waiting for!" he exclaimed, sending mental orders for Zero to play along for the moment "Kukuku Washu…sometimes you make this TOO easy!"

Off to the side, trapped in a giant water jug, the REAL Ryoko pounded on the glass, her teeth clenched as she tried to break free, her eyes locked on the form of her doppelganger as Washu led her to the baths.

* * *

And we'll leave off there for now.

Will Washu pull a fast one on Zero? Or will Clay claim BOTH Hakubi women for his devious purposes?

Clay: What the hell do you take me for?

Ryoko: You stuk me in a glass jar without any clothes you perv!

Kyugan: Yeah he's f-!-cked...


	16. Chapter 16

Last time, on Saiyan Muyo!

Zero learned a little more of her, rather Ryoko's, Saiyan Ancestry.

Raditz: We lived, we died, we blew stuff up, we died. The end.

Ryoko: What about babies?

Washu: Tell you later, now come on, it's fanservice time!

Will she be able to pull a fast one on Washu?

Washu: No peeking.

Aw...

* * *

Chapter 15: No Need for Hesitation!

Zero sighed, letting the hot water of the onsen sooth her battered muscles, her ochre eyes locked onto Washu's back as she watched the redhead scrub herself down. 'Perfect.' She muttered, a coy smirk adorning her borrowed features 'Imagine, she's GIVING me the opportunity to be alone with her…' her smirk widened as the redhead tossed a pail of water over herself to remove any suds 'Better wash your neck while you're at it Washu…'

"Come here Ryoko-chan!" the redhead called out, causing Zero to stumble at the term of affection, the redhead smirking as the cyan haired woman eyed their surroundings warily "We're all alone now." She assured the woman "Honestly, just because you're getting in touch with your Saiyan side doesn't mean you can neglect such a basic thing as hygiene." She smirked at the woman "You'll wind up driving Tenchi off."

Zero jerked, her features lighting up like a thermometer at the mere mention of the quarter-Juraian teen, the doppelganger meekly shuffling over to the redhead, struggling to get her emotions under control.

"That's a GOOD girl Ryoko-chan!" Washu chirped, scrubbing at the younger woman's back with a bright smile, though her eyes had a strange light as she espied the strange marking on 'Ryoko's left butt-cheek, a marking that she recognized, but also knew had no place on HER daughter's rump.

'So THAT'S how it is huh?' the redhead mused, smirking wryly at 'Ryoko', her hand idly scrubbing away without losing it's focus 'To think old octopus-head is still around…go figure…'

Zero gasped, her ochre eyes widening in surprise as she felt Washu's fingers wrap around her tail, her back arching as the redhead worked the soap into the limb.

"Better take care of this too while we're at it." Washu supplied, stroking the trapped appendage with her soap laden hands, working up a nice thick lather, even as she felt the imposter tremble at the touch "A Saiyan's tail is their pride, can't have it looking like a ratty old belt now can we?"

"I…can handle…that…" Zero managed to pant out, her features flushed at the surge of sensations the redhead's ministrations were sending up her spine. Her breath was coming in ragged gasps, and her vision slowly turning hazy as a strange, but not unpleasant pressure built up in the pit of her stomach.

"By the way…" Washu opined, her hands never halting in their ministrations as she leant in to whisper in the clone's ear "Tenchi-dono was talking about you Ryoko…" she smiled coyly as the clone's ochre eyes opened a crack "He was complaining that you bumped your chores off on Tarble-kun again…you were supposed to clean the toilet today, remember?"

'Was I supposed to do that?' Zero wondered, struggling to remember today's itinerary through the sensations racing through her mind, her limbs like silly putty before Washu's devious ministrations 'I don't recall…'

"You wouldn't want Tenchi-dono to get…upset with you…would you, Ryoko-chan?" Washu demanded, smirking as the cyan haired woman jerked, her eyes widening at the very concept of Tenchi's ire "Who knows? If you do a good enough job, maybe HE'LL be the one doing this for you next time…"

* * *

_One mildly arousing scene lay-ter... _

"Tarble-kun?" Sasami blinked, the princess looking up in surprise as she paused in the act of bringing in the laundry at the sight of the Saiyan Prince exercising on the porch, Ryo-Ohki at her side in child form "Weren't you going to clean out the toilet today?"

"Ryoko-san said she'd take care of it." Tarble explained, the Saiyan prince dressed in a black vest and shorts, not halting in his routine in the slightest as he continued using his thumbs to perform handstand push-ups "Last I saw she was REALLY going at it."

"Ryoko-Neechan?" Sasami repeated, blinking down at Ryo-Ohki in confusion, the cabbit mimicking her with a mewl of surprise, as normally the space pirate had to be dragged kicking and screaming by her tail before she'd ever attempt her chores, and even then she'd usually give up halfway.

"That looks a little heavy…" Tarble noted, the prince eyeing the massive basket of laundry in concern as he continued his routine "Want me to help out?"

"No…I got it," Sasami insisted, backing away from the prince with a smile, only to stumble, her eyes widening as she tripped over the edge of the porch, Ryo-Ohki crying out in alarm as the princess braced for the impact with the ground below, only to blink as a pair of arms wrapped around her.

"Whoops." Tarble muttered, the Saiyan wincing apologetically as he smiled down at the girl, Ryo-Ohki looking up at them in relief as the Saiyan held the princess bridal style in his arms "That was a close one, wasn't it?"

"Y-yeah…" Sasami stammered, her features lighting up as she gazed up at the Saiyan youth feeling a sense of security in his arms she used to only associate with when her mother hugged her "Arigatou, Tarble-kun."

"N-No problem," the Saiyan prince offered, his own features lighting up as he looked down at the girl in his arms, realizing the position they were in, setting her down gently before anyone, especially Ayeka, could see them.

"Oh no…" Sasami muttered, her expression turning downcast as she patted Ryo-Ohki's mane to assure the cabbit she was alright, taking in the sight of the freshly dried laundry that had spilled all across the patio from the fall "And they were all cleaned too…"

"Want some help?" Tarble asked, looking away shyly as the princess and cabbit blinked at him in confusion "I mean, three pairs of hands are better than two, right? And the porch is pretty clean, so we only need to gather them up and pat them down before ironing them…"

"You're right!" Sasami exclaimed, the princess beaming up at the prince, her cute features filled with appreciation while Ryo-Ohki yowled praises "Thanks again, Tarble-kun, you're a good friend!" she offered, stepping forwards to pick up the closest article of clothing, only to blink when Tarble didn't move from his spot "Tarble-kun?"

"Huh?" Tarble stammered, snapping out of his daze with a blink, only to smile at her, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly "Ah, it's nothing, Sasami-san," he assured her, a sad smile on his face "It's just…you just surprised me for a second is all."

"Why?" Sasami wondered, staring at the Saiyan prince in confusion alongside Ryo-Ohki, only to blink in realization "Because I said we're friends?" she asked, blinking as Tarble looked off to the side in embarrassment "That's strange, I thought you said Raditz-san was your friend?"

"Well…sort of…" Tarble admitted, scratching his nose "You see, Raditz has always been kind to me, but he considers me his prince above all else." He looked the girl in the eyes "Not only that, he's the same age as my elder brother, I was just a kid when Vegetasei was destroyed, so in a way, I looked up to him as a sibling…" he smiled sadly "I never had the chance to meet anyone my own age except on missions, and most of the time they were too scared to even talk to me...you're the first person to ever call me their 'Friend' and actually mean it."

Sasami blinked, eyeing the saddened youth before her in surprise, before smiling, skipping forwards and throwing her arms around the startled Saiyan's neck. "So I'm your first friend ever?" she asked, smiling up at him cutely "Well then in that case, it's nice to meet you, Tarble-kun!"

"S-Sasami-san?" Tarble stammered, only to blink as the girl pressed a finger against his lips, pouting up at him with an adorable frown.

"Stop being so formal all the time." Sasami insisted, smiling cutely up at him to show she wasn't really upset "My friends call me Sasami-chan!" she explained, smiling cutely at the flustered Saiyan "No more 'san', we're friends now, right?"

"MIYAH!" Ryo-Ohki called out, the two youths looking down in surprise as the little cabbit in human form looked up at them, tears in her eyes at being left out.

"Ryo-chan too of course." Sasami giggled, beaming at the little cabbit as she tackled the Saiyan, hugging him around the waist with a mewl of delight "Now you have TWO friends!"

Tarble blinked, looking at the princess in amazement as he stroked Ryo-Ohki's mane of black and cyan hair, a look of wonderment on his face that caused Sasami to giggle.

"Now then!" Sasami exclaimed, pumping her fist into the air with a smile "Let's all work together to get this laundry sorted!"

"A-ah…" Tarble stammered, the Saiyan youth shaking himself out of his daze as Ryo-Ohki released him, the little cabbit scampering off to help pick up the scattered articles of clothing, a grateful smile adorning his features as he watched Sasami follow after her, laughing all the while "Arigatou…Sasami-chan…"

* * *

_Too...cute...must...change...channel... _

'Damn that Washu…' Zero muttered, the cyan haired doppelganger muttering silently to herself as she swept the yard outside the Masaki family house, her tail twitching irritably behind her 'Tricking me into cleaning the toilet instead of her…I KNEW it wasn't my turn today…'

By the time Washu had gotten through tormenting her, leaving the doppelganger to lie nerveless on the floor of the furo, all thoughts of kidnapping the redhead had gone completely out the window as she basked in the strange, after-glow that having her tail stroked presented.

It was only after Mihoshi had stumbled into the bath, rousing the doppelganger with a look of confused concern, that Zero recalled the redhead's words, the doppelganger tearing out of the onsen, leaving the blonde detective spinning on the spot, accosting a startled Tarble outside the toilet, embarrassing the little prince, as she'd forgotten to get changed before coming down.

'Honestly, a little flesh and he turns into a tomato…' she muttered, scoffing at the prince's embarrassed features as she'd shoved him out of the house, though she'd made sure to grab some proper clothing before attempting the task at hand, as the last thing she needed was for Noboyuki to espy her and pull out the cameras.

She'd actually done a pretty good job of cleaning the crapper, if she could say so herself. By the time she'd gotten through with it, the porcelain throne had shone so brightly it would've been a SIN to use it for its intended purpose.

And then Tenchi had come along, startling the doppelganger out of her moment of pride, only to point out that it had been WASHU'S turn to scrub the crapper, the redhead having bummed the work off on Tarble in order to take a bath.

"She's a con-artist is what she is…"Zero muttered, growling to herself as she brushed away at the leaves littering the yard, "Still, worked out fine for ME!" she beamed, her tail perking up as a proud little hiver rushed up her spine, her brush strokes speeding up as she recalled Tenchi's stunned words of praise, so caught up in her glee that she missed the voice echoing at the back of her thoughts "Anything that gets me praise from Tenchi is good in my book!"

"ZERO!" Doctor Clay roared, the old man's telepathic summons slamming into the doppelganger's mind like a sledgehammer, scything through her good mood like a blade of vacuum.

"Doctor." Zero exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise as she realized she'd been unconsciously ignoring his summons, something that had NEVER happened before no matter how deeply ingrained she was in her artificial memories.

Eyes narrowing as she looked around for onlookers, the doppelganger grimaced, phasing out of view within the cloud of dust and dirt she'd kicked up in her enthusiasm, reappearing high above the stratosphere, broom still clutched in hand as she gazed up at the prow of her master's ship.

"Just WHAT do you think you're DOING?" Clay demanded, the doctor's irate voice echoing through the empty void through their psychic link "You have a MISSION." He reminded her "you're SUPPOSED to be catching Washu, not sweeping her damn yard!"

"I'm sorry, Doctor Clay." Zero offered, her tone dull and emotionless, though internally she was quaking at the notion she'd upset her creator, an emotion that wasn't aided by the fact she was ALSO grappling with Ryoko's desire to brush the doctor off, or flip him off, whichever came first "I've been busy, the Saiyan-!"

"Don't try to make excuses, Zero." Clay warned, his tone filled with annoyance, though he seemed unaware, or uncaring of the struggle going in within his minion's mind "I've been watching you," he revealed, recorded images playing back before Zero's eyes, covering her activities throughout the day "From what I can tell you could have grabbed Washu at any time since this morning…" his eyes narrowed as several images of Tenchi appeared before them "but you kept getting distracted by the mere MENTION of that earthling boy, Tenchi."

"N-No!" Zero countered, concern for the young man that had claimed her, or rather Ryoko's heart, rising to the forefront of her mind, only to flinch as Clay's features narrowed, having sensed her emotions through their link.

"ZERO…" he growled, his eyes widening briefly, a spark of mental electricity arching between the pair, Zero's own eyes glowing as her master's mental command implanted itself in her mind "You got it?"

Zero grit her teeth, wanting to deny the order, wanting to shake her head, to scream, Ryoko's Saiyan instincts rising in rebellion, only to be brutally squashed as Clay's mental overrides slammed into place.

"Yes sir…" she submitted, bowing her head before him, though her teeth were clenched as she gripped the broom, promptly teleporting back to earth before the Doctor could notice, staring hard at the dirt before her 'What do I do now?'

"Yo," a voice called out, the cyan haired doppelganger looking up in surprise at the sight of Raditz, the big Saiyan dressed in his usual tracksuit bottoms and vest, a pair of Geta sandals on his feet as he walked towards her, a sake jug on a rope slung over his shoulder "The old man at the shrine sent this down, said it was part of an offering from a local patron, care to join me?"

"Sure…" Zero murmured, her expression glum, looking up at Raditz's silence only to blink at the sight of the Saiyan frowning at her "W-What's you're problem? You looking to start something?"

"Heh," Raditz snorted, smirking at her as he turned on his heel and walked off towards the house "Whatever, guess even you can get lost in thought…"

"Why you…" Zero growled, the hackles on her tail rising as she watched the big Saiyan leap up onto the roof of the house, though internally she sighed in relief, deciding that perhaps a nice bottle of sake would take the edge off her conversation with the doctor…and perhaps help her to clear her head.

* * *

_I can kiss and hug it! BEER! But I'd rather chug it...!_

"Ah…!" Raditz uttered, the Saiyan taking his lips away from the mouth of the jug, having taken a healthy, figuratively speaking of course, swig of sake, "That's some good stuff…" he muttered, tossing the container at Ryoko as the cyan haired woman phased into existence on the roof "Catch."

"Thanks." the pirate offered, catching the jug effortlessly out of the air, settling herself down on the tiles and taking a long draught of her own, releasing an appreciative sigh as she pulled back "Damn that's good! Where'd Yosho stash this stuff?"

"Hell if I know." Raditz countered, smirking as he caught the bottle as Ryoko tossed it back to him "I know one thing though…this and the kid's cooking are about the only reason's I'm still on this dirt ball."

"Amen Brother…" the pirate chuckled, catching the bottle of Sake from the Saiyan, missing the look she received for her casual comment "Though for me, I'd put Tenchi before even those two."

"Huh…" Raditz snorted, his tone laced with wry disbelief as he eyed the pirate "For the life of me, I can't see what it is that attracts women to that kid." He quirked a brow "Do you get off on plain? Is that it?"

"Tenchi isn't PLAIN." The pirate growled back, and Raditz noted with approval that she'd even bared one of her canines in warning, distinctly Saiyan behaviour in response to slander against their mate "He's kind, gentle, accepting…"

"Right, right…" Raditz scoffed, turning his head to the side dismissively to ward up her heated glare, catching the sake jug aimed for his face "To each his own I suppose…"

"What about you and Washu?" the pirate shot back, grinning maliciously as the Saiyan sprayed Sake across the yard, "You two got pretty damn close in the bath the other day, so I heard…"

"NOTHING HAPPENED!" Raditz roared, his features red with embarrassment and rage as he glared at the unrepentant pirate "The bitch took one look at me and the next thing I knew there were tentacles everywhere!"

"Ooh…Kinky." The cyan haired woman teased, grinning ferally as Raditz's features turned nigh apoplectic in fury "Don't get your Schwartz twisted Radish-head, I'm just yanking ya."

"Vulgar little…" Raditz growled, a scowl lining his features as he took another swig from the sake jug, before tossing it at Ryoko with a snort "You really are that woman's daughter."

"Wouldn't know…" the pirate countered, sipping away at the sake with a morose expression on her face "Most of my memories from 2000 years ago are pretty fuzzy, the only things I can accurately remember…" she grimaced "Well, they're the kinds of things better left buried."

"You could TALK to her." Raditz opined, the Saiyan eyeing the pirate as she chugged her sake down "Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you have a little 'heart to heart' hot cocoa and tissues moment, but whenever my old man and I got together, we'd usually just talk…" he snorted "Well, after the usual spar of course."

"That's another thing." The cyan haired woman muttered "I've NO recollection of her from my childhood, if I even HAD one. She literally grew me in her lab like any other experiment." She snorted, staring down at the sake jug with an unusual expression "She's a certifiable genius…off her rocker sure, but a genius. Every time we speak, it makes me feel like a child…"

"That's what parents do." Raditz muttered, earning a look from the pirate as he stared up at the skies, a distant expression on his face "They can't help rubbing in the fact they're supposed to know more than you…" he snorted "doesn't help any when they actually do, and don't EVER try to prove 'em wrong."

"Personal experience?" the pirate deduced, only to smirk as she tossed the Sake jug towards him once again "What's up with you? You're not usually this talkative…"

"Feh, who knows?" Raditz scoffed, chugging down a mouthful, wiping his mouth dry with the back of his hand as he sat up tossing the bottle back towards her before getting to his feet with a grunt "Maybe there's something in the air…hell there must be, it's the only thing that can explain how you and the princess haven't killed one another before now."

"There IS that…" came the enigmatic reply, Raditz snorting to himself as he stepped nimbly off the roof, landing easily on one foot, before turning towards the house, the Saiyan guardsman wondering if he could sneak something before dinner without Sasami catching him.

The disapproving look in her eyes aside, it hurt like HELL whenever the little princess slapped you on the hand with that spatula of hers.

* * *

_many bottles of booze lay-ter... _

Zero sighed, the doppelganger sitting up in the rafters, dressed in a gold and black outfit over a kimono skirt, the remnants of the sake from earlier in her lap.

Dinner had been a quiet affair, Mihoshi having reported for duty, the only upset being Ayeka, who kept shooting heated looks at Zero from across the table, as Ryoko's protective instincts would flare up if the princess got within two feet of Tenchi. Only Raditz's presence kept the clone from glaring back or from attempting anything frisky, though the Big Saiyan's attention seemed divided between her, Sasami and Tarble, who had been acting rather chummier than usual, though she didn't put much thought on the matter.

The reason for this was that, despite her laid-back appearance, the doppelganger's mind was awhirl, struggling between her emotions for Tenchi, the doctor's standing order, and Ryoko's Saiyan instinct to ravage the boy in his sleep.

A mewl snapped her out of her thoughts, looking up to find Ryo-Ohki perched on her knee, the little cabbit looking up at her in concern as he smile shifted to a distant expression.

'I…am Doctor Clay's loyal servant…' she muttered, reminding herself that this was all a mission, that her memories were not her own, that the emotions she felt for the earthling were simply those of the woman she was impersonating 'And the order given to me was…was…'

She grit her teeth, ochre eyes closing as she struggled with Ryoko's memories, only to snap open, glaring down at the Masaki house, having teleported outside, the full moon shining behind her, framed by passing clouds.

Eyes locking onto Tenchi's bedroom window, the doppelganger frowned, phasing out of existence, reappearing inside the earthling's chamber, turning to face his bed, where he lay tucked in with his back to her, unaware of her presence in his slumber.

Slowly, she held up a palm, a ball of orange ki forming in her hand as she stepped closer, looking down at the slumbering teen with an impassive expression that belied the inner turmoil taking place inside her head.

**'IF that boy is in your way…'** Clay's voice ordained, the doctor's order resurfacing as she stood over the slumbering teen's bedside inside her head **'Then you must…Eliminate him.'**

Scowling, Zero clenched her fist, a dagger of energy forming in her hand as she stepped forwards, only to freeze as Tenchi rolled over, his face, and the twin bite-marks on his neck, coming into view.

'What am I doing?' she wondered, eyes widening as she felt her entire body tremble under the strain of keeping the dagger raised 'He's the enemy…the doctor's orders are absolute…'

_'No…he's Tenchi…'_ a voice that was hers, and yet at the same time not countered _'He's our mate…our other half…'_

'He's RYOKO'S mate…' Zero countered, startled that she'd use such a primitive term to refer to someone, never mind the fact that referring to the boy as someone else's property could…annoy her so.

_'And you ARE Ryoko…'_ the voice continued, low and yet strong, distant and yet Zero felt as if it were speaking right in her ear _'She is you and you are her…what's hers is yours and what's yours is…'_

'No…' Zero countered, biting her lip, her arm trembling as she stared down at the slumbering, helpless form before her 'I'm…I am…!'

**'Zero…'** Clay's voice intoned, the doctor's orders only adding to the cacophony of noises inside the poor woman's head **'You must obey me…!'**

Zero cursed, gritting her teeth as she brought her other hand up, grabbing her wrist and stabbing the blade down towards Tenchi's face.

Out in space, Doctor Clay loosed a dark chuckle as the screams of two women echoed around his darkened ship.

* * *

And we'll leave off there for now.

Ryoko/Zero: YOU BASTARD!

Kyugan: Chill pill! You've seen the anime! In any case, how will this affect things at the Misaki house? Will Zero's emotions win her over, or does Clay's programming run too deep?

Clay: I'm not going to like the next chapter, am I?

Kyugan: *Readies raep face* Slowly fades away...

Clay: ...I need an adult...


	17. Chapter 17

Last time, on Saiyan Muyo!

Washu and Zeryoko got a little...wet.

Washu: Good grief, do you EVER wash behind your ears?

Zero: You got it in my eye! No more tears my ass!

Afterwhich, Dr. Clay laid down the law.

Clay: Kill Tenchi or you're grounded.

Zero: He looks so cute as he sleeps...must...resist...urge...to dry hump...

Followed by one of the loudest screams in history.

Enma: FOR THE LOVE OF ME WILL YOU SHUT UP ALREADY! I DON'T CARE WHAT THE COURT SAYS YOU'RE NOT GETTING ANYTHING ELSE!

And now, on with the story.

* * *

Chapter 16: No Need for Pursuit!

Inside the Masaki house, not a creature stirred, ESPECIALLY not the mice, who'd learned the hard way that sneaking into Sasami's kitchen was a VERY bad idea with a Cabbit on the loose, never mind the mousetraps Washu had set up to keep the house rodent free.

Even in Tenchi's room, the only sound came from the teen's gentle snoring, and humming of the energy blade that had stabbed the pillow, scant inches from his ear.

'Tenchi…' Zero stammered, the Ryoko clone's ochre eyes watery as she stared down at the slumbering teen, Clay's order fading to the back of her mind, replaced by a surge of relief and love, Ryoko's Saiyan instincts settling down as the threat to the pirate's mate, HER mate, vanished with every passing moment.

Closing her eyes to shed her tears, the doppelganger smiled, releasing her grip on the energy blade, which faded out of existence, reaching out with one hand to gently trace the teen's cheek, only to pull back at the last second, teleporting outside the room to lean against his door with a sigh of relief, emotionally drained from the experience.

"Now THAT'S cute…" a teasing voice called out, the doppelganger looking round to find Washu perched on the railing, dressed in her pyjamas, a snide smirk on the redhead's face.

"Washu…" Zero growled, glaring at the smug genius, cursing herself for believing the woman would let her guard down so easily, only to smirk as Washu made a break for it "If I take YOU with me…" she muttered, teleporting behind the redhead, grabbing her under the arms and clapping a hand over he mouth as she appeared in the rafters "then I don't HAVE to kill Tenchi."

"And just what are you planning to do with that?" Washu's voice called out, Zero turning, only to blink at the sight of the redhead leaning against the wall, standing on the rafter's off to the side "You gonna bring that widdle dolly to Doctor Clay?" she smirked as Zero eyed the Washu plushy, complete with pyjamas, she held in her arms "I had no idea he went for that sort of thing, but if it's a gift, I can put a ribbon on it for ya!"

"How'd you know about all this?" Zero demanded, tossing the plushy aside with a snarl as she glared at her target "I thought the link with you was severed?"

"So I take it that's the real gem then?" Washu noted, her features solemn, only to narrow her eyes as Zero growled in response, the redhead bracing herself as the clone of her daughter moved into a combat stance "Bring it on…"

"That's enough!" Ayeka's voice called out, the princess stepping into view, dressed in a sleeping kimono, flanked on either side by Azaka and Kamidake "I will not permit any further violence in this house!"

Zero's response was to hold out her hand, sending a wave of power at the princess, Ayeka looking on in shock as her guardians were slammed into her room without putting up a fight. "Stay out of my way…" the doppelganger growled, not taking her eyes off Washu as she continued to aim her palm at the startled first princess of Jurai "Interfere…and you die…"

"That a fact?" Raditz demanded, Zero's brow twitching in nervousness as the Saiyan guardsman appeared from around the corner, bare-chested and footed as he scowled at the clone "Care to back those words up?"

"So you figured it out too huh?" Washu noted, the deceptively young scientist smirking at the Saiyan Guardsman while Zero and Ayeka blinked at him in shock "How long have you known?"

"I didn't." Raditz countered, his eyes never leaving Zero's face "I figured SOMETHING was up…it seemed a little TOO convenient that her Saiyan instincts would just break through like that…going by what you told me, she's been repressing her emotions to cope with what that Kagato guy put her through."

"As expected of a Saiyan guardsman." Washu applauded, nodding her head in appreciation of the guardsman's senses "So diligent, even when faced with the possibility of betrayal."

"Very clever…" Zero muttered, grimacing as she realized the possibility of her getting out of here without a fight were getting slimmer by the second "Still, what're you going to do about it?"

"Good question…." Raditz countered, smirking darkly up at the clone before thumbing over his shoulder, Zero's eyes widening in alarm as Tenchi blinked at her dazedly "Why don't we let the brat decide?"

"Tenchi…" the doppelganger stammered, her hands clapping over her mouth as she backed away, ochre eyes wide as he stared at her in confusion "No…it's not what you think…!"

"Ryoko?" Tenchi wondered, taking a step forward, only to blink as Ayeka threw herself at him, keeping him from advancing further "Ayeka! What the-!"

"Tenchi-sama, stay back!" the princess exclaimed, glaring over her shoulder as she shielded her beloved from the clone "That is NOT Ryoko!"

"No!" Zero countered, her features distraught as she reached out for the teen, Raditz and Washu quirking a brow at the tears in the clone's eyes, only for her to back away from them, vanishing in mid-air, her tears staining the rafters before her.

* * *

_As Zero leaves... _

"Ryoko!" Tenchi exclaimed, the teen struggling past Ayeka to stare at the spot the cyan haired woman had vanished, turning to Raditz in confusion "What the heck is going on?"

"Hell if I know…" Raditz muttered, the big Saiyan frowning as he stepped forwards, crouching atop the rafter, running his finger over the tear-stains left in the wood, before shooting a look towards Washu "You noticed it too, right?"

"Do Oozaru fuck during the full moon?" Washu shot back, earning a snort from the Saiyan and an embarrassed flush from Ayeka and Tenchi, even as she reached inside her top, pulling out a slumbering Ryo-Ohki like magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat.

"Moons and Rings…" Raditz snorted, the Saiyan quirking an eyebrow as Washu tried to rouse the little cabbit "I've heard of stuffing your bra brat, but isn't that going a step too far?"

"Cute…" Washu shot back, the redhead smirking wryly at the guardsman with a look that promised retribution in the not-too-distant future, before turning to smirk at Tenchi and Ayeka "You two coming or what?"

"Well I suppose I could tag along…" Ayeka sighed, shaking her head "I mean I just can't leave things as they are, not with her looking so pathetic." She shrugged off Washu's grin of thanks "By the way, is it me or does that copy have a better personality than the REAL Ryoko?"

"It's just you." Raditz shot back, smirking as he ignored the glare the princess levelled in his direction, even as Tenchi looked between them all in confusion, the teen presenting the typical Masaki male inability to pick up what was going on around him once again.

* * *

_One transition later... _

"So wait…" Tenchi exclaimed, the teen's eyes widening in alarm as Ryo-Ohki blasted through space, slowly beginning to process the bombshell the others had dumped on his now fully awake mind "That WASN'T the real Ryoko?"

"Not exactly…" Raditz muttered, his arms crossed before him "Whatever it was, it wasn't a clone…it had all of her memories, her powers…"

"Plus, the gems she possessed were real enough." Washu noted, smiling as she sat in the command chair, piloting her daughter's ship through space "So the real Ryoko's gotta be around somewhere."

"It's not that I think she's dead…" Tenchi countered, rubbing the side of his neck as he spoke, an unusual expression on his face "I mean…I dunno how to explain it…but there were times when, even when I was looking at her…she seemed so far away…"

"That's the bond." Raditz muttered, eyeing the teen out the corner of his eye as he stared off into space "Which means that whatever that thing was, it's LINKED to Ryoko, just like you are." He smirked at the teen's expression "What luck, it left us a little trail for us to follow."

"She's not the only one." Washu smirked, bringing up a scanning array, which depicted Ryoko's vital signs and energy signature "You're picking her up too, right Ryo-Ohki?" she queried, only to blink at the Cabbit's response "Wha? Battle Energy Reaction? Put it on screen!"

Ryo-Ohki did so, the unlikely group of rescuers looking on as a massive ship appeared on screen, it's prow in the shape of a woman, laser fire arching all around it as it fired at a smaller, GXP cruiser, Mihoshi's terrified cries echoing over the airwaves.

"How in the name of Vegetasei did that…AIRHEAD get there before us?" Raditz demanded, even as Ayeka and Tenchi gaped at the screen, silently sharing in the Saiyan's sentiments.

"She's a genius…" Washu offered, the redhead closing her eyes in embarrassment as she listened to the blonde detective's wails "I swear it."

"Washu-san!" Tenchi exclaimed, the teen's expression serious as he leant in "If that's where Ryoko's being held, then we should storm the place and bust her out!"

"Not a bad idea brat…" Raditz noted, the Saiyan nodding his head in approval as he smirked down at the surprised quarter-Juraian teen "Almost Saiyan worthy."

"Yeah," Washu replied sardonically "Forgive me if I don't feel like being turned into Swiss cheese because my daughter has a habit of getting herself in trouble." She smirked as she brought up a schematic of the ship "I'll find that bastard Clay…!"

"Hurry!" Tenchi exclaimed, the teen looking on in dread as Mihoshi piloted her small craft through the barrage of laser fire, looking on in horror as the blasts drew ever closer in their accuracy "Hurry!"

"Just a few more seconds and…GOT HIM!" Washu exclaimed, only to blink, looking on in stunned wonderment as Mihoshi's screams were cut off as she shuttle crashed into the large ship, like a mosquito crashing into a whale "Ugh…that girl really is hopeless…" she muttered.

"She's not the only ones…" Raditz muttered, Washu looking up to find she was alone with the Saiyan, Tenchi and Ayeka having vacated the battleship to rescue the distressed Kuramitsu.

"Good Grief…" Washu sighed, slumping back in her seat, a hand going to her brow as she marvelled at the impetuousness of youth "I honestly wish Tenchi-dono would THINK a little more before he acted…it's not like Mihoshi can't take care of herself."

"I don't see what the problem is." Raditz countered, smirking down at the redhead with his arms crossed before him "The boy's more Saiyan than Juraian, we prefer to let actions speak louder than words."

"Yes, cause thinking with your testosterone solves ALL of life's little problems." Washu snarked, the redhead smirking up at the unrepentant Saiyan "By the way," she asked coyly "not that I'm complaining, but would it have killed you to put a vest on or something?"

"Forgive me if I chose to put your daughter's safety over your asinine concepts of modesty." Raditz shot back, snorting in dismissal "Besides," he muttered sending her a meaningful glare "you still haven't returned my armour."

"That ratty old thing?" Washu muttered, waving a hand in dismissal "I chucked that out after running some tests." her hands blurred over her keyboard "Fabulous make-up, but the style was just so passé…"

Raditz glared at her, opening his mouth to berate her for her actions, only to blink as she held up what looked like a wristwatch. "Use this." She instructed, tossing the item at him "It's a top-of the line battle suit I designed based off your armour and Ryoko's battle suits." She smirked up at the Saiyan "It'll let you survive in vacuum, and offers enhanced range of motion and durability."

"About time you invented something useful." Raditz muttered, strapping the device around his wrist, looking it over suspiciously before pressing the button on the side. Almost instantly, golden holographic lines spread out from the device, trailing over his frame, a flash of light obscuring his body from view as they connected, fading away to reveal a black, short-sleeved bodysuit that cut-off just above his elbows, his fists encased in gray, half-fingered gauntlets that covered his lower arms, a matching pair of boots adorning his feet. Orange rings, identical to the bands that adorned his gloves and boots, circled under the armpits of his suit and around his waist.

"Not bad…" the Saiyan muttered, flexing his fingers and rotating his shoulders to check for mobility issues, pleasantly surprised to find the suit moved like a second skin, only to frown as a camera went off, looking round to find Washu grinning up at him innocently.

"What?" the redhead countered, a daring smirk on her face as she tossed her camera into the safety of a sub-space pocket "It's all for research purposes."

"Just get us onto the damn ship." Raditz growled, crossing his arms before him, making a mental note to find and destroy the woman's camera the first chance he got "The sooner I introduce my fist to this fucker's face the better."

"Get in line Radish-head." Washu countered, and Raditz was surprised to hear a hint of ANGER in the redhead's tone "That creepy octopus head took my little girl…my FOOT has an appointment with the good doctor's ASS."

* * *

_Clay's den... _

Clay shivered, the old man looking up from watching Tenchi and Ayeka land on the hull of his ship, where Mihoshi was proving HIGHLY effective against his octopus themed drones, as a chill raced down his spine.

'I'm getting too old for this shit…' he muttered, shaking his head to rid it of his concerns, turning his attention back to the monitor, his sole eye narrowing as it regarded Washu's 'guinea pig' with an evaluative stare "The boy is pretty good for an earthling…" he accorded grudgingly, watching the teen slash away at the drones with what looked to be a Jurai lightsaber "but not good enough that Washu would choose HIM over a rare specimen like the Saiyans…" he sat back with a chuckle "Oh well, at any rate, it's not like they can make it HERE."

"That's why I told 'em to WAIT a few seconds." A voice pointed out, the doctor turning round in alarm to find Washu standing off to the side, dressed in khaki pants and a green jacket.

"What…WASHU?" the doctor exclaimed, gaping at his objective as she stood before him, as brazenly confident as ever "How did you get here?"

"My…" Washu noted, a hand on her hip as she smirked at the befuddled doctor "you certainly look older Doctor Clay…" her smirk widened at his bug-eyed expression "Though your Octopus-head is JUST like the old days."

Clay snarled, gritting his teeth as he raised his arm, going for the laser pistol hidden in his sleeve, only to curse as a blast of energy knocked it out of his hand, gaping at the ruined weapon as it clattered across the room, before turning back to Washu, who lowered her palm with a smirk. "And YOU'RE just the same Washu…" the doctor muttered, his voice layered with anger even as he returned the redhead's from his seat in his chair "Just like when we were competing for the director's chair back at the academy."

He snorted, getting to his feet with a groan as he shuffled towards a nearby statue "But now it's time for YOU to find out how 'I' felt…" he glared at her over his shoulder "when I was driven out of the academy, now it's YOUR turn to feel how that felt Washu!"

Washu blinked, cursing as Clay slammed his fist into the statue, which opened up to reveal a portable screen. "I highly recommend that you do not move." Clay called out, holding out a palm towards the redhead as she moved to rush him "Otherwise this entire ship will blow up, along with your precious 'Guinea Pig'…" he smirked at her flinch even as a massive jar appeared, filled with water and an irate, naked Ryoko "Not to mention that precious little GIRL of yours."

"So THAT'S where she was…" Washu mused, looking up at her daughter, the REAL one judging by her irate expression, only to grin "Too bad, looks like you won't get the chance to torture the information out of him."

Clay blinked, wondering what on earth the redhead was on about, only to yelp in agony as a massive hand wrapped around his wrist, hoisting him off the ground, his eye widening as he stared into the scowling features of the adult Saiyan Zero's report had identified as Raditz.

"Now then Doctor…" Washu called out, walking forwards with her hands on her hips and a smile on her face "normally I'm above such primitive methods, and MIGHT have been willing to listen you rant on about the good old days…" her smile turned dangerous as she looked the old man in the eye "But you see, kidnapping Ryoko-chan put me in a REALLY bad mood, maternal instincts and all that."

"C-CALL HIM OFF!" Clay shrieked, struggling in the Saiyan's grip, only to shriek as said grip tightened mercilessly around his wrist "FOR GOD'S SAKE WASHU!"

"Ease up there, Raditz-kun." The redhead insisted, Clay releasing a sigh of relief as the preassure on his arm decreased somewhat "I'm sure the good doctor isn't about to try anything STUPID, now are you, Clay?"

"Blast it Washu!" Clay swore, glaring at the redhead in anger, like an octopus hanging from the grip of a gorilla "Is this how low you've fallen? The self-proclaimed Greatest Scientific mind fraternizing with some primitive Neanderthal?"

"What can I say?" Washu shrugged, even as Raditz growled at Doctor warningly "I happen to like my guys a little on the dim side, keeps them on their toes." She smirked at the doctor "Now enough about that, I'm sure you didn't come her to harass me on my taste in men."

"There's a place I want to take you…" Clay grit out, smirking confidently as he eyed the redhead through the pain "Someone VERY important wants to meet you-!"

"Ooh, Doctor!" Washu simpered, clasping her hands together as she winked "So little girls turn you on huh?" she grinned as Clay baulked in alarm "I knew it! You wanna take me to some kinda 'secret club'!" she clapped her hands over her cheeks "And then do all kinds of things to my young and nubile body!"

"Was she this crazy when you knew her?" Raditz demanded, the Saiyan sweatdropping alongside Ryoko as they watched Washu rant on about the things Clay supposedly wanted to do to her, while the man himself gaped at her like a fish.

"She hasn't changed a BIT!" Clay muttered, the old man literally SEETHING, like an octopus in a hotpot as he glared at the bane of his existence as Washu finally came to an end of her ranting session.

"Well I appreciate your feelings Doctor…" Washu gushed, the redhead smiling wryly through her fingers at the old man "REALLY, I do, but you see, I'm already in love with someone else."

"Knock it off Washu!" Clay roared, shaking his fist in the redhead's direction even as he hung in Raditz's grip like a mutant piñata "Who'd be interested in something they couldn't tell the difference between the front or the back?"

Washu glared at the old man, her anger not helped in the slightest as Raditz and Ryoko nodded in agreement with the old man's words "You jerks!" she snarled, undoing her top buttons as she advanced on the startled Clay "Take a look!"

"KNOCK THAT OFF!" Clay roared, shielding his face with his arm, though Raditz had no such compulsions and merely quirked a brow, it wasn't like she was in her ADULT form after all "I'm not the one who wants to see you! Tokimi-sama does!"

"Tokimi…sama?" Washu repeated, halting in the act of flashing her goodies at the mention of the name, much to Clay's relief, the old man smiling at the redhead, only for her to level a disbelieving expression in his direction "Wow…if YOU'RE referring to her by a title, she MUST be someone important." She smirked as Clay began to foam at the mouth in his ire "So who is she?" she asked, causing him to blink "Remember, I've been locked up for the past 5000 years, and I don't recall her name from the academy..."

"Wait WHAT?" Raditz blinked, looking between the pair in understandable alarm "You two are over 5,000 years old? How the fuck-?"

"Tell you later, maybe." Washu supplied, waving a hand dismissively as she fixed her collar once again, before smirking at Clay "By the way, aren't you the least bit curious as to how we found you?"

"I must admit, I HAD given the matter some thought." Clay admitted, relaxing somewhat as he smirked at the redhead "Perhaps you'd care to sit down and talk about it?"

"Don't mind if I do!" Washu agreed, stepping forwards and plopping herself down in Clay's command chair, crossing her legs as she folded her hands in her lap, looking up at the doctor as Raditz continued to hold him off the ground "You were saying?"

"Yes…" Clay growled, glaring at the redhead, as if hoping to set her alight through sheer willpower, only to reign himself in "I must admit, I was surprised you managed to find the bridge…but I'm even MORE impressed you figured out Ryoko was a fake…" he eyed his rival appreciatively "You must have a hell of a system, Washu."

"Aw it's simple really!" Washu countered, a feline smile on her face as she held her arms behind her head "Did you know you have a habit of marking all your favourite things with your personal logo?" she grinned at the doctor's look of shock "It's true, always have." She tapped her forehead "That's how I knew the bridge was in the statues head…" she smirked as she tossed a valuable looking vase in the air "and that THIS is your most prized possession!"

"CAREFUL with that!" Clay exclaimed, struggling in Raditz's grip, the Saiyan actually surprised at the strength the old man was putting out "Do you know how much trouble I went through to get my hands on that?"

"I can imagine." Washu smirked, tossing the vase idly in one hand, only to fake a fumble, catching it effortlessly before it hit the ground "Now listen up," she instructed "I'd REALLY like it if you could give Ryoko and the others back without too much trouble," she smirked dangerously "though Raditz here would certainly be willing to accommodate you should you be so inclined."

Raditz emphasized just how 'willing' he was by leering down at the old man, who shivered in mute terror at the proximity of the Saiyan's features, only to snarl as a blast of orange energy clipped his cheek, the doctor dropping out of his grip with a yelp.

"Don't move." A voice ordered, the group turning to find Ryoko, or rather, her double, standing before them, her hand extended and a scowl on her face.

* * *

And we'll leave off there for now.

Raditz: The HELL!

Kyugan: Whoah whoa calm down there man, you're not doing much this arc either way! This is more of a character development arc!

Raditz: Ugh, I hate those.

Kyugan: I agree man, but it needs to be done or people start losing interest. Can't have nothing but fight scenes after all.

Clay: I'm just glad I'm not being manhandled anymore.

Raditz: Believe me old man, touching you wasn't a pleasure.

Kyugan: Easy there sports, save the carnage for on camera.


	18. Chapter 18

Last time on Saiyan Muyo!

_Zero pussied out_

Zero: Mission failed...commence dry humping.

_Washu comes out in the open._

Raditz: I've heard of molehills but this takes the cake.

_Mihoshi does her thing_

Mihoshi: HENTICLES! Noooo! Do not want!

_And Clay Meets Washu's Super Magic Monkey._

Raditz: I...HATE...YOU.

* * *

Chapter 17: No Need for an Identity Crisis.

"Z-ZERO!" Clay exclaimed, the doctor clutching his injured wrist as he scuttled away from Washu and Raditz, gaping at his faithful servant in glee "About DAMN TIME you showed up! Where have you been?" he scowled at her lack of response, before tilting his head towards the pair of intruders "Never mind that now! Deal with those two!"

"I meant you too Doctor." Zero called out, Clay's eyes widening in disbelief as the automaton in Ryoko's form turned to aim her palm directly at HIM.

"Z-Zero?" the doctor stammered, staring at his creation in bewilderment, having never anticipated THIS predicament "What is the meaning of this?"

"Pay attention doctor…" Zero ordered, her face lined with emotion, her body trembling, as if it took every ounce of willpower to keep her palm aimed at him "Tenchi…Please don't involve Tenchi in this anymore!"

"Unbelievable…" Clay stammered, his features a mask of shock as he stared at his, up till now, loyal automaton in disbelief "this doesn't make sense! Even though a different memory was implanted, complete and absolute obedience to ME should be your sole concern!"

"My guess is because you made a complete copy." Washu opined, reclining on the man's chair like a queen on her throne "Ryoko's a rebellious sort you know."

"It's her Saiyan nature." Raditz agreed, the Saiyan crossing his arms with a mocking smirk as he looked between the two, a hint of pride in his tone "We Saiyans swear loyalty to NO-ONE but ourselves."

"Do not confuse Zero with you primitive savages!" Clay snapped, glaring at the duo angrily, before turning to face his obviously confused servant, his features calm and soothing "Zero," he called out "Listen to me, that is NOT your will." He stepped forwards as her features flinched "The Pseudo Personality that was implanted in you is making you act like that, all I need to do is erase it and-!"

He trailed off with a yelp, backing away from the clone as she loosed a small burst of ki at his feet, not enough to blast through the ground, but enough to make him think twice about advancing any further.

"No doctor!" Zero exclaimed, her voice filled with emotion, even as her eyes shimmered with unshed tears "I want this body…these memories…these FEELINGS." She looked her creator in the eye imploringly "I want to live as Ryoko!"

"You would betray ME?" Clay demanded, his fear giving way to anger as he glared at the automaton in fury "Over some useless emotions and memories replicated from some harlot?" he waved his hand to the side "How DARE you! I am your MASTER! You're your CREATOR! You're nothing without me! Just some cheap, MARIONETTE that I made to suit my needs!"

Zero recoiled as if struck, her ochre eyes turning downcast, uncertainty lining her features as she stared at the ground "No…I…I am…!"

"Oi," Raditz called out, the doppelganger looking up to see the Saiyan guardsman standing with his arms crossed, a frown on his features as he locked gazes with her "You just gonna sit back and take that? What happened to your pride, woman?"

"What are you nattering about?" Clay demanded, glaring at the Saiyan in disgust "That's no woman, hell the blasted thing isn't even HUMAN! It's a THING, an IT!"

"You open your mouth again old man and I'll reach down youth throat, grab your balls and turn you inside out." The Saiyan snapped, Clay cowering back against the wall while Ryoko cheered empathetically inside her prison "Though you're right about ONE thing," he allotted, turning his gaze back to Zero "she ain't human…" he agreed, only to smirk at the doppelganger as she flinched "she's a Saiyan."

"Preposterous!" Clay sputtered, waving his hand to the side "She's nothing of the sort! Washu may have based Ryoko off you savages, but all Zero did was emulate her form and abilities! There isn't a DROP of Saiyan blood in her veins!"

"A Saiyan isn't defined by their blood." Raditz countered, his eyes never leaving Zero's even as he fired a ki blast from his pointer finger that send Clay sprawling on his ass "It takes more than blood to become a warrior…it takes courage…determination…pride…"

"The edicts of the Saiyans…" Zero stammered, the doppelganger looking up at the Saiyan warrior in recollection while Washu perked a brow.

"Cut off our arms and we'll KICK you to death." Raditz recited "Cut off our legs and we'll BITE you to death. Rip out our teeth and we'll CURSE you to death. Cut out our tongues and we'll GLARE you to death. Cut off our heads and we'll HAUNT you till death, and then we'll drag you down to hell with us." He smirked at Zero as she recited it along with him "More than strength, more than courage, more than power…what defines a Saiyan is that which cannot be taken from them…their PRIDE."

"The Pride…of the Saiyans…" Zero murmured, looking at the guardsman with a look of wonderment on her face, even as she felt a stirring within her, as if something inside was rallying to Raditz's words.

"Looks like you WERE paying attention back there…" Raditz snorted, tilting his head towards Doctor Clay as he cowered in the corner "Now then, why don't you look deep within yourself, and show the meddling old crackpot over there a taste of that Saiyan pride?"

"Don't listen to him Zero!" Clay called out, his tone both authoritative and pleading as he reached out for his servant with his injured hand "You aren't like them! You're my creation!"

"I…" Zero stammered, her Ochre eyes widening as she struggled with her emotions, Raditz's words burying deep within her psyche, the doppelganger's features settling into a determined scowl as she whipped round, aiming her palm at the doctor without an ounce of hesitation "I AM RYOKO!"

"YOU LITTLE TRAITOR!" Clay snarled, clenching his fist, a golden ring that adorned his finger shattering, the group looking on in shock as Zero's eyes widened, the doppelganger screaming as lightning arched around her, the cyan haired woman staggering as it stopped.

"Tenchi…" she breathed, a wistful smile adorning her features as the teen's features appeared before her one last time, smoke trailing off her body as she fell to the floor and lay still.

* * *

_As Zero drops... _

"Zero!" Washu exclaimed, leaping to her feet even as Raditz knelt beside the fallen clone, the redhead's features shifting to anger as the Saiyan looked up at her, rounding on clay when the guardsman shook his head "Clay you bastard!" she snarled glaring at the man as he struggled to his feet, muttering to himself "You haven't changed at all, this is EXACTLY why you were thrown out of the academy."

"YOU'RE the one who stirred those who were JEALOUS of my talents to drive me out!" Clay spat, pointing at the redhead accusingly, his robes in disarray.

"There's no-one like that at the academy." Washu countered with a glare "The one who don't love their work are the ones that are disliked and driven away!"

"I'll tell you what I love!" Clay snarled, clenching his fist "I love perfection and my Technology is PERFECT!" he waved his hand to the side "There CAN'T be any defects in my work! There CAN'T BE!"

"Are you done?" Raditz demanded, the Saiyan still crouching by Zero's still form, his features shadowed as he got to his feet "You finished saying your eulogy old man?" he demanded, his features unshadowing as he glared at Clay "If not then too bad…I WARNED you what would happen if you kept talking!"

Clay grimaced, backing away from the Saiyan as he charged, only to pull up short as an orange blast of energy fired over his shoulder, narrowly missing the Doctor's head.

"W-what the devil?" Clay exclaimed, the startled octopus-head looking round for the source of the blast, only to gape at Zero, who had propped herself up with one arm, the other extended towards him "How can this be? Its function's should have been totally shut down!"

The Doctor's thoughts were soon derailed however, as the sound of shattering glass reached his ear, turning around in alarm just in time for soaked, feminine fist to slam into his face with the force of a sledgehammer.

* * *

_Two minutes prior..._

While all the talking had been going on, Ryoko had sat trapped, unable to do anything but watch as her mother conversed with Clay, muttering obscenities and trying to get them to let her our, as she didn't enjoy being 'under glass' any more than the next person.

But of course, Washu got so wrapped up in other things to consider those around her, and so Ryoko had been forced to sit through the badly-scripted drama, growling to herself when Zero appeared on the scene, only to feel a jolt of emotion lance through her as she watched Clay punish the automaton for her betrayal.

Initially, the space pirate had been unable to see what was going on unless Clay was feeling particularly vindictive, and allowed her to watch his puppet as she masqueraded around with Ryoko's body. Then, for some reason, whenever she focused on the fake, she'd begin to get flashes, sights, sounds, smells, things she could recall dimly from earth.

They were few and far between, and more often than not resolved around Tenchi, the Pirate's temper flaring at the thought of the imposter harming her beloved.

But Zero never did, if anything, she was even MORE daring in her pursuit of Tenchi than Ryoko had ever been. Not that she wasn't direct, oh no, in that Ryoko had her beat, but rather than throwing herself at the teen, she still managed the same, if not greater effect, by holding back and letting him know how she felt in small ways, her feelings and emotions travelling back to Ryoko through the link the two seemed to share.

Now that link was hanging by a thread, and in that last moment, as she watched Zero lift her palm and aim at the glass, Ryoko had felt only two things: love for Tenchi, and a desire to set things right, emotions that the pirate could completely understand as she punched through the weakened glass of her former prison, landing a punishing blow to Clay's face that sent him spiralling across the room.

"You bastard…" Ryoko snarled, standing before the group, towering over the startled Doctor, naked as the day she'd been born but heedless of anything of the fury welling up inside her "You're gonna pay…for Tenchi…for what you did to me…BOTH of me!"

Clay squealed, looking up at the trio in terror, his former arrogance and anger all but replaced by an all-consuming desire to flee, the octopus head scrambling to his feet, ramming his fist on the head of a statue, his pursuers pulling up short as the statue's head depressed, rotating briefly, before popping back into place, just as the entire ship began to tremble.

"When this ship divides, the energy reactor in the main body will begin to shrink, before EXPLODING." Clay revealed, smirking confidently at the group as Washu realized exactly what he was implying "If you WANT to stop it…" he uttered, backing away from the trio with a smirk, "I suggest you hand over my Vase."

"Or we could just rip your limbs off until you tell us." Raditz countered, stepping forward alongside an all-too eager to assist Ryoko, only to blink as the vase in question sailed through the air towards Clay, who caught it after a moment's fumbling.

"Careful!" the doctor stammered, exhaling a sigh of relief as he eyed his precious treasure in concern, checking it for damage before smirking up at Washu "The statue behind you is the key…" he instructed, cackling as he faded out of sight "I'd hurry if I was you!"

* * *

_As Clay scarpers... _

"BLAST IT!" Ryoko growled, gnashing her teeth as she glared at the spot where Clay had disappeared, recognizing pattern on the ground as an emergency Teleporter "If I had my gem I'd be on his tail faster than you can say takoyaki!"

"We've got bigger things to worry about." Washu shot out, the redhead's back to the duo as she jogged over to the statue Clay had pointed out, that of a robed women, her head bowed in contentment "Raditz! Check on Zero!"

Raditz nodded, the Saiyan guardsman stepping over to the doppelganger, kneeling down and scooping her into his arms with a gentleness that was surprising, almost tender.

"Is she alright?" Ryoko queried, stepping forwards, her tail twitching behind her as she stared down at her doppelganger, heedless of her nudity "She's still alive, right?"

"Hell if I know." Raditz muttered, looking between the two with a frown "I checked her vitals before…she was dead as a doornail…" he frowned down at the cyan haired woman as she gazed up at him weakly "Yet here she is…"

"I…was gone…" Zero admitted, the automaton's ochre eyes locking onto Ryoko's features as if in a dream "But then…something…called me back…something strong…something that was part of me…"

"Pride." Raditz muttered, his smirk wry as he eyed the confused doppelganger in his arms in bemusement "That's your Saiyan pride alright…we're too stubborn to die."

"Saiyan…pride…" Zero murmured, a smile adorning her features as she looked up at the Saiyan guardsman gratefully, before turning her gaze towards Ryoko "We…"

"GODDAMIT!" Washu snarled, the trio looking up just in time to see the redhead smash her fist through the computer screen before the statue, which was revealed to be a naked woman beneath the robes, splitting it in half "This is a dummy!"

"Escape…pod…" Zero called out, the trio looking up as she pointed at the monitor, which depicted something small flying out of the forehead of the prow, like a popped zit.

"So the octopus scuttles off into the shadows…" Raditz snorted, spitting off to the side as he stood up, Zero held in his arms as Ryoko growled alongside them "So what now?"

"To put it bluntly? Nothing good." Washu muttered, squatting down in the doctor's chair as she pulled up her own laptop with a scowl "At this rate, the main body of the ship's going to become a black hole."

"A WHAT?" Ryoko stammered, her ochre eyes widening in alarm as she grabbed her mother by her collar "What about Tenchi! He's still in there!"

"Never mind Ayeka and Mihoshi…" Washu added, poking her daughter between the breasts to make her back off, frowning as she turned back to her work "If I can just find a way to control THIS side of the ship…"

She trailed off as something shook the ship, looking up at the monitor in alarm as, despite all logic, a beam of light shone out of the all-devouring darkness of the black hole.

"What in the name of Vegetasei is THAT?" Raditz swore, the Saiyan Guardsman's eyes widening in alarm at the sight. He might not have been a genius, but even HE knew that NOTHING could escape from a black hole without anything short of a miracle…and since Saiyan's didn't believe in any particular deities, that left them pretty short when it came to divine interventions.

"Tenchi…" Ryoko and Zero voiced in tandem, blinking at one another as they realized what they'd just done, only to smile at one another, turning their gaze back to the screen, where a trio of Light hawk wings spiralled out of the void like a comet.

"The brat to the rescue again, huh?" Raditz snorted, the Saiyan smirking at the screen with a look of wry amusement on his features "Good grief…what the HELL is he wearing?"

"Who cares, so long as he gets the job done." Washu snorted, smirking up at the Saiyan as she sat in Clay's chair "What's the matter big guy? Jealous that he stole the limelight?"

"Jealous?" Raditz scoffed, snorting in disdain "Hardly, just annoyed that it took being shoved into a black hole for him to get serious…if this had been a battlefield, he'd be DEAD by now."

"Tenchi-dono's not a warrior." Washu countered, a wistful smile on her face "He has the potential to be great, sure, but his gentle nature makes it hard for him to pull out his full potential."

"Not to mention his complete lack of awareness." Raditz muttered, snorting mockingly "I mean he never clicked that Ryoko was acting strangely, even WITH the link." He smirked at the vision of the boy on screen "I'll have to correct that."

"Oho?" Washu chuckled, a catlike expression on her face as she eyed the Saiyan guardsman teasingly "Don't tell me Big Daddy Raditz is getting attached?"

"I will murder you…" Raditz growled, glaring down at the redhead warningly "My duty is to protect Tarble-sama…I can't focus on that if he's surrounded by people that can't defend themselves."

"There's the big tough Saiyan I know and love." Washu teased, pinching the base of Raditz's tail, earning a startled yelp and a glare from the Saiyan, Ryoko catching a startled Zero in her arms as Raditz hurled her into the air to clasp his abused limb "Now then, all we have to do is reel in our little fish before it gets away."

"There will be a reckoning woman…" Raditz growled, rubbing the base of his tail with both hands as he watched Washu give instructions for Ryo-Ohki to pick up Clay, only to glare at Ryoko and Zero when he caught them looking at him "What're you looking at, brats?"

"Nothing…" the duo replied in tandem, Ryoko throwing her head back and cackling while Zero chuckled weakly at Raditz's discomfort, the big Saiyan scowling, crossing his arms before him with a huff.

* * *

_One reunion later... _

"Well," Mihoshi greeted, the blonde detective smiling cheerfully as she saluted the unlikely band of heroes gathered before her "It is now my duty to escort the prisoner," she trailed off uncertainly "Isn't it?"

"Sure is." Washu nodded, smirking as she eyed the frozen form of Doctor Clay behind the ditzy detective, before tossing her a carefully wrapped present "Here, just a little something for you to while away the time on duty."

"Okay!" Mihoshi cheered, smiling cheerfully at the redhead as she hugged the parcel to her chest "Then I'll be sure to give it to the appropriate person! You can count on me-!"

'Indeed I can…" Washu snickered, a smirk adorning her features as the sound of shattered pottery followed in the wake of one of Mihoshi's predictable klutz attacks, the redhead smiling as Clay's screams of agony somehow travelled through the ice, giving her a warm fuzzy feeling.

"How SHE ever made it to detective is beyond me." Raditz muttered, watching as Mihoshi carted the now trembling octopus on ice off to her cruiser, which Washu had repaired in record time "The GXP must be slipping."

"Don't be so harsh, she's good at her work." Washu chided, only to sweat drop at the Saiyan's deadpan expression "She's just BETTER at driving people up the wall."

"Tell me about it." Ryoko muttered, the pirate covered in Tenchi's Haori, the pirate kneeling on the ground with Zero in her arms, stroking her doppelganger's hair with gentle, soothing hands, Tenchi kneeling before them in concern.

"I'm…sorry I lied to you…" Zero offered, the doppelganger smiling weakly up at the quarter Juraian as he held her hand.

"Ryoko?" the teen wondered, looking between the two in confusion, unable to comprehend the difference between the two, and the strange sensation that he got from both of them making it even harder to tell the clone from the fake.

"Ryoko…" Zero sighed, her ochre eyes warm, filled with kindness as she gazed up at the man she and the pirate loved "I wish I could be called that forever…" she smiled distantly "I wish that time would just stop now…" she sighed sadly "But I am NOT Ryoko."

"Not yet you're not." Washu agreed, smirking at her daughter and clone as she stepped forwards, hands on her hips "But once you two recombine, that'll right itself."

"Recombine?" Tenchi repeated, blinking up at the redhead in confusion, a sentiment matched by Ryoko, Zero and Ayeka, while Raditz merely quirked a brow.

"It isn't so easy to just DUPLICATE my masterpiece you know." Washu chided, waving a finger for emphasis "I took the trouble to divide her in two because…well, I can't CONTROL the mind of a complete unit." she winked "Now however, I think it's time to combine them into one!"

"One?" Zero stammered, the clones features filled with wonderment and hope as she stared up at the redhead, Ryoko scowling, though she found herself unable to voice her displeasure in light of the emotions pouring into her from her proximity to Zero "We can be…together?"

"Yep!" Washu nodded, smiling cheerfully at the pair as Tenchi looked confused, no surprise there "All Ryoko has to do is absorb you into herself, and the two of you can become one."

"I don't like this." Ryoko muttered, eyeing the redhead warily, even as she held Zero in her arms "How do I know I'll still be…me?"

"Of course you'll be you," Washu countered, her smile almost motherly as she shook her head at her daughter's stubbornness "Since YOUR body is the base, your personality will remain unchanged…" she smirked "You'll just have the added benefit of Zero's emotions to balance you out, repressing all those feelings just ain't healthy for your mental growth."

Ryoko glared at the redhead, her tail bristling behind her angrily, only to blink as she felt a hand on her cheek her anger fading as she stared into the ochre eyes of Zero as the clone looked up at her, pleadingly.

'Ryoko…' Washu called out, her mental voice soothing, her expression gentle as she eyed her daughter with a smile that, for once, had no ulterior motives 'I wont force you to do this if you don't want to.'

Ryoko said nothing, merely eyed her mother for a moment, marvelling at how…maternal, the redhead sounded, only to frown, tearing her gaze away to look Zero in the eyes "Alright…" she agreed, a wry smile coming to her features "but if you start causing trouble I'm charging you rent."

"That's my girl." Washu smiled, nodding in approval as Tenchi stepped back, the teen looking on in confusion, and a little wonder, as Ryoko placed her forehead against Zero's, the two of them closing their eyes as a dull glow washed over them, light dancing off the reflective surfaces of Clay's bridge as the group looked on in amazement.

A flash of light filled the bridge, causing the group, with the exception of Washu and Raditz, to shield their eyes, the Saiyan and the redhead looking on, unencumbered by the glare, which faded away to reveal a single figure, dressed in Zero's outfit, floating in mid-air.

"Ryoko?" Tenchi called out, stepping forward as the woman touched down, Ayeka taking a step forward, only for Washu to bar her path with an arm "Is it…you?"

Ochre eyes opened, Tenchi blinking in surprise at the sheer strength of the emotions that washed over him through the 'link' he now shared with the woman before him. Before now, he could only sense patches, and then sporadically, now it was like there was a direct link between them, and the teen was staggered by the sheer extent of the woman's feelings.

"Tenchi…" Ryoko greeted, a loving, gentle smile adorning her features as she embraced the teen, her tail coming round to wrap around his waist as she hugged him close, her grip gentle, but at the same time strong enough that not even a black hole could pry him from her "I'm home."

Tenchi flushed, looking down at the space pirate in surprise, only to smile, returning her hug, heedless of Washu and Raditz's looks of amusement and Ayeka's scowl as she fumed.

"Welcome home."

* * *

And the Doctor Clay Arc comes to an end.

What changes will Zeryoko bring? Nothing really, just slightly more in control of her emotions, less inclined to anger (well, for Ryoko) and all the more coy.

Washu: They grow up so fast.

Raditz: Whatever, at least we get an action scene next time.

Kyugan: Aheheh...yes...action...

Raditz: ...Why do I feel a sense of impending doom washing over me?


	19. Chapter 19

Last time on Saiyan Muyo!

_Zero grew a pair._

Zero: I love Tenchi!

Ryoko: Welcome to the club, take a number.

_Clay doesn't approve._

Clay: Papa Spank!

_Tenchi is Haxxors._

Dr. Haxx: !

Tenchi: Wha? *computer to da head* ow!

_And Ryoko and Zero become one._

ZeRyoko: Perverts.

* * *

Chapter 18: No Need for Family Reunions!

Tenchi sighed, opening his eyes to the familiar sight of his ceiling, looking down to find a now familiar mane of cyan hair lying against his side. "Morning Tenchi," Ryoko greeted, purring slightly as she snuggled against his side, her tail holding them together at the waist "Sleep well?"

"Alright, I suppose." The teen admitted with a sigh, unable to help smiling down at the cyan haired woman as he stroked her hair, earning a pleased purr for his troubles "Mind if I get up?"

"Do you have to?" Ryoko demanded, pouting cutely up at him, her expression so hurt and downcast that Tenchi felt his heart jerk in response.

"C'mon." he insisted, smiling down at the pirate encouragingly "You know I have to tend the fields." He smirked "Besides, Raditz-san will get pissed if you miss your morning spar."

"I'd rather spar with YOU." Ryoko countered, her tone sultry as the tip of her tail cupped his groin, smiling up at the teen as he jerked, only to release him with a sigh, phasing out of the bed and walking out the door, winking over her shoulder "See you at breakfast, lover."

"S-Sure…" Tenchi stammered, exhaling as he watched the pirate leave, grateful for the release of his privates, though now he found himself in need of a DIFFERENT form of release.

It had been several weeks since the incident with Clay, where Ryoko and Zero had wound up fusing together, the space pirate had been, different, more confident in herself, more in tune with her emotions…and a lot more expressive in the ways she showed them.

And she was a lot subtler about it too, finding every excuse to bump into him around the house or in the fields, brushing up against him whenever they passed, not to mention the hijinks she caused with her tail, which now seemed a permanent fixture.

Of course, this wasn't without it's problems, most glaringly obvious being Ayeka, who did NOT appreciate how close the two were becoming, the princess making it her business to interpose herself between the two whenever possible, though she wasn't so foolish as to directly challenge Ryoko, the memory of that first night under the moon still raw every time Ryoko bared a fang in annoyance.

Sighing to himself, the teen grabbed his bathing supplies and made for the shower, determined to get a head start on his chores at the shrine, which had been piling up ever since the incident with the Shinseijuu and Clay. Apparently Raditz and his grandfather had got to talking, as the old man had been stricter than usual these past few weeks, claiming he wanted the teen to be prepared for anything.

'If he's so worried why doesn't HE get off his ass and save the day?' Tenchi muttered, shaking his head in exasperation as he stood under the hot water 'I mean, isn't HE supposed to be the hotshot Juraian Knight?'

* * *

_Katsuhito/Yosho's temple... _

"Hmm…" Katsuhito muttered, the faux-elderly priest and former crown prince of Jurai looking up from his task as he rubbed his nose "Someone must be talking about me…" he shrugged, turning back to the task of assembling the training implements he'd obtained to help whip his slugabed heir into shape.

'I must remember to thank Akisame-kun for sending this over so swiftly.' The priest mused, referring to one of his old drinking buddies who'd supplied the implements in question 'That reminds me, I must remember to say a prayer for his poor disciple.'

"C'mon!" Raditz roared out, Katsuhito looking up in time to see Ryoko sail overhead, courtesy of a blow from the larger Saiyan, who grinned as he gave chase "Is that all you got little girl?"

"HARDLY!" Ryoko countered, flipping agilely through the air, using the top of the shrine office as a stepping-stone to propel herself towards her opponent, the two of them grappling in mid-air above the shrine, causing minor sonic booms that rattled the slates and flagstones below.

"So energetic in the morning." Katsuhito muttered approvingly, the faux-old timer shaking his head with a wry smile as they blasted off to spar over the lake. "Ah youth."

"Grandpa?" Tenchi wondered, the teen looking on in wonderment as he finally showed up at the shrine, the teen tearing his eyes away from the battle between the Saiyans in order to sweat drop at the sight that lay before him "What…are those?"

"Hm? Ah Tenchi." Katsuhito greeted, turning to face his heir apparent as he gestured to the twin rows of what looked like wooden practice dummies "I had a friend of mine ship me in a little something to assist in your training…you've been slacking off recently and I believe THIS is just what the doctor ordered."

"THESE clunky old things?" Tenchi muttered, sweatdropping at the row of wooden mannequins in exasperation "Grandpa, I think you've been watching too many Kung Fu movies…" he muttered, patting one of them in the shoulder.

When the stars finally started to fade away, the bruised and battered teen found himself gazing up at his grandfather's impassive, yet still amused features.

"And YOU obviously haven't been watching ENOUGH, Tenchi." Katsuhito shot back, smirking down at his heir as he navigated his way through the dummies without triggering their attack function "Better get used to them quickly…the yard won't brush itself."

"Evil old man…" Tenchi muttered, rubbing his aching jaw as he glared at the retreating priest's back, before eyeing the towering wooden men apprehensively "Now what do I do?"

* * *

_With the Saiyans... _

"That was a good spar…" Ryoko purred, stretching her arms above her head to limber up as she and Raditz dropped down to the ground, having finally succeeded in dumping the elder Saiyan in the lake "Man, ever since Zero and I fused, I've felt invincible!"

"Don't get cocky, brat." Raditz growled, a frown on his face, though there was a note of approval in his tone "Just because you're more in tune with your Saiyan nature doesn't make you invincible."

"Whatever," Ryoko teased, the cyan haired pirate smirking at the guardsman as she skipped towards the house "At least I'm not the one that needs a bath-!"

"Oops!" a voice called out, the space pirate turning to receive a face full of water, a startled looking Ayeka standing off to the side with a pail and ladle "Sorry about that Ryoko-san…you just popped out of nowhere."

"Sure, whatever…" Ryoko muttered, ignoring the princess in favour of glaring over her shoulder at Raditz, daring him to make a comment, only for the Saiyan to smirk at her "I'm hitting the shower," the big Saiyan muttered, walking past the fuming pirate with a confident smirk "You two try not to kill each other while I'm gone, 'kay?"

"Who does that barbarian think he is?" Ayeka muttered, scowling at the Saiyan as he marched past them, disappearing into the house "Honestly, you think he OWNED the place instead of being a freeloader."

"He's got the right idea though…" Ryoko admitted, shaking some of the excess water off her person, much to Ayeka's distress "I'm gonna soak for a bit…wanna join me?"

"Eh?" Ayeka stammered, the princess blinking at the unexpected offer, only to assent, figuring that a bath WAS in order after the brushing off the Saiyan had given her. And it would give her and Ryoko the chance to TALK…as she needed to evaluate just how much of the OLD Ryoko remained in her, though she'd never admit it aloud, best friend.

* * *

_With Tenchi... _

Tenchi grimaced, using the broom to deflect the blows that were aimed at his body, all the while trying to navigate around the dummies to get at the dirt and leaves that littered the courtyard of the shrine. 'This is ridiculous!' he exclaimed, pausing for breath just outside the reach of the closest dummy to the steps 'At this rate it'll take me a WEEK just to get across the yard!' he muttered, wiping a bead of sweat from his chin with the back of his hand.

"Excuse me…" a soft, gentle voice called out, the teen turning to find a woman in a n elaborate kimono standing behind him "Is the priest in?"

"Uh…" Tenchi stammered, staring at the woman in awe, unable to tear his eyes away from her, she was simply that pretty, only to snap out of his daze with a jolt as he felt Ryoko's temper flare through the link they shared.

"Is something wrong?" the woman asked, smiling serenely at the flustered teen, only to blink as Ryoko appeared before him, dressed in her battle suit, her features drawn back in a warning snarl.

"Back away from Tenchi…" the pirate warned, holding an arm out to shield the startled teen from the woman's gaze, her ochre eyes narrowing as the woman had the audacity to smile at her.

"So this is Tenchi-kun, is it?" the woman mused, turning her head so that her benign smile was now directed at the scowling pirate "And you too Ryoko, so good to see you again."

"Have we met?" Ryoko demanded, frowning at the woman in confusion, noting that there WAS something eerily familiar about her features, only for them to look up as Ayeka stumbled onto the scene.

"Ryoko-san!" the princess stammered, looking a little winded from her run up the steps as she glared at the pirate "What was the big idea, just leaving like…that…?"

She trailed off, her eyes widening as they landed on the kimono-clad woman, who merely beamed at her in greeting. "Funaho…sama…" she stammered, causing the pair to blink at the honorary suffix "But…if YOU'RE here…"

"That's correct," Funaho smiled, the clearly Juraian woman beaming at the startled First Princess with a matronly expression "I believe she's waiting for you at the house."

Ayeka unleashed a sound that was reminiscent to a mouse being stepped on, before dashing back down the stairs, though not before offering a polite bow towards Funaho, leaving a trail of dust in her wake.

"Tenchi…" an annoyed voice called out, the trio looking up as Katsuhito appeared around the corner, a frown on his face "What's the matter? I don't see the yard getting any cleaner-!"

He trailed off, jerking in alarm at the sight of the woman standing in the courtyard, Tenchi's eyes widening as his venerable, unflappable grandfather suddenly looked like a teenager caught sneaking back into the house.

"H-Hahaue…" Katsuhito stammered, Tenchi's eyes bulging out of his head as he and Ryoko gaped between the terrified, elderly priest and the beaming woman who looked no older than her late twenties, early thirties tops.

* * *

_Meanwhile, at the Masaki House... _

"Here you go." Tarble offered, the Saiyan Prince holding out the ingredients for today's lunch as Sasami asked for them "Is this everything?"

"Just about." Sasami admitted, beaming up at the prince as she tossed the ingredients into the pot, stirring them expertly, causing a heavenly aroma to rise into the air "Thanks again, Tarble-kun!"

"Think nothing of it." Tarble offered, returning the smile, the pair flushing in response and looking away, only to blink as the doorbell rang "I'll get it." He offered, smiling as Sasami looked from the door to the stove "I'd probably burn the food anyway."

"Thanks again." Sasami offered, smiling gratefully as she turned back to the cooking, Tarble smiling at her back, marvelling at how one so young could be so mature.

'Like I'm one to talk…' he muttered, shaking his head at the irony of a prince of Saiyans befriending a princess of one of their greatest enemies 'If father could see me now…'

THAT killed his good mood, the young prince sighing at the thought of his father's glare of disapproval, which was pretty much the look he used for EVERYTHING really, shuffling towards the door and opening it with a sigh "Hello?"

"SASAMI-CHAN!" a hysterical voice yelled, Tarble's eyes widening as a tall woman in Juraian robes tackled him, pulling him into a hug with surprising strength, rubbing her cheek against his own as she wept "OH Sasami-chan it's been so long!"

"Uh…miss?" the startled Saiyan stammered, his tail bristling in alarm as the woman hugged him tighter to her chest, his features turning red, and not entirely from the strength of her embrace as he felt her breast press against face.

"I missed you so much…" the distraught woman wept, heedless of the teen's struggles as she rubbed their cheeks together "Look at you! You've grown so big! So bulky!" she released the prince, though his relief was shot lived as she grabbed his hair and YANKED it "And your hair! How could you hack off your soft beautiful hair? It's all hard and pointy now!"

"M-Ma'am!" Tarble exclaimed, his arms and legs scrambling as she tried to escape without hurting the woman, although if it came down to it or losing his hair, he might have to get rough "I'm telling you I'm not-!"

He trailed off again as the woman embraced him, though unlike her first assault, THIS one was soft, a gentle, motherly embrace that caused him to freeze in his tracks.

"Sasami-chan…" the woman sighed, bending down to hug him to her chest as she sobbed in relief "I'm so sorry…I'll never let you out of my sight again…"

"Um…Ma'am…"Tarble stammered, startled at the woman's ability to go from hysterical to gentle at the drop at the hat, marvelling at the strange feelings her hug inspired in him as he patted her back "Like I was trying to tell you…I'm not Sasami…"

"Did you say something, Tarble-kun?" Sasami called out, the princess stepping out of the kitchen with a look of interest "Who was at the door? Was it another salesman…?" she trailed off at the sight at the woman embracing the stunned Saiyan, her features lighting up in glee "Okaa-sama!"

The woman blinked, looking up from sobbing into Tarble's shoulder to stare at Sasami in confusion, only to slam the startled Saiyan into the wall, her eyes lighting up with sparkles as the lights dimmed, twin spotlights falling on mother and daughter as they gazed at one another "SASAMI-CHAN!"

"Okaa-sama!" Sasami cheered, rushing into her mother's arms, even as the woman knelt down to embrace her, the two rubbing their cheeks together as they reunited, only to blink as she espied the Saiyan prince "Ah! Tarble-kun!"

"D-Don't mind me…" Tarble muttered, the Saiyan prince twitching as he slid down the side of the wall, passing out from the sheer force of the blow used to toss him into it as Sasami cried out in alarm.

* * *

_Meanwhile... _

"So what gives…?" Ryoko muttered, the cyan haired space pirate hovering along, helping Tenchi sweep up the yard whilst fending off the attacks from the countless wooden men the teen's demented grandfather had set up as a training tool "That woman's your Gramps' old lady?

"Seems that way…" Tenchi muttered, frowning as he dodged another attack, surprised at how easily he was getting used to them now that Ryoko was here, possibly another aspect of the link they shared.

"I mean there IS a resemblance." Ryoko commented, swatting a strike away and ducking under another without even thinking "She looks JUST like Yosho did back on Jurai, now I think about it."

"So what, she's my Great-Grandma?" Tenchi wondered, a little unnerved by how ATTRACTIVE the woman was, looking up as a genteel sneeze echoed out from the Shrine office, recognizing Funaho's voice "I wonder what they're talking about in there?"

"Wanna find out?" Ryoko purred, the pirate appearing at her lover's side, wrapping her arms around him and phasing out of view, reappearing with their backs to the door of the shrine.

"It's hard to believe I'm back…" Funaho noted, the first empress' voice filled with soft wonderment and gentleness that was awe-inspiring as it was alluring.

"Yes," Katsuhito agreed, the sound of the old man's voice calm and reserved, so surprising to Tenchi, who was used to the old man's scolding, lecturing tone "Ever since you left this planet, the earth must have gone through so many changes…"

"Come now Yosho…" Funaho chuckled, laced with the gentle amusement that only a mother can wield so expertly "How long will you hide behind your mask?"

'Mask?' Tenchi wondered, looking up at Ryoko in confusion, only for the pirate to shrug, as she didn't sense anything weird about the old man either, the two of them listening in as Katsuhito chuckled.

"I guess there's no deceiving YOU, us there?" the priest noted, resignation in his tone, though there was also a sense of relief as Funaho chuckled, "Nobody here has any idea as to how I really look." A different voice continued, Ryoko's eyes widening in recollection, while Tenchi gaped in confusion, as it sounded not unlike his own, only deeper, more confident.

"That's YOSHO alright…" Ryoko hissed, whispering into Tenchi's ear as they pressed against the wall, a hand clamped over her love's mouth to keep him from gasping in surprise 'I KNEW something was up…there's no WAY he'd live so long without help!' she frowned 'But…I thought his tree was grounded…how in the hell's he still ALIVE?'

* * *

_Inside... _

"So you haven't revealed yourself to Tenchi yet?" Funaho wondered, the first empress of Jurai's tone lined with bemusement as she sat across from her son, who had dropped his guise as an elderly priest, looking exactly as he had on Jurai, save for the glasses adorning his face "I suppose it's only right…he has enough on his plate as it is."

"At first, I thought I could send Tenchi to serve as my replacement." Yosho admitted, a distant smile on his face as he sat across from his mother, marvelling at her beauty after all these years.

"Do you think he would fit in?" Funaho wondered, the empress looking her only child in the eyes with a curious smile "On Planet Jurai?"

"I think he could." Yosho admitted, smiling confidently at his mother, only to close his eyes as a bead of sweat slid down his head "The problem would be getting him there without the girls raising a fuss."

"So young and he's already having trouble with girls." Funaho chuckled, shaking her head in bemusement, only to frown down at her teacup "I came here today because we received a report from the Galaxy Police."

Yosho flinched, catching the unasked question in his mother's calm tone, knowing instantly that the empress was demanding an explanation for his actions over the past 700 years. "When Ryoko was resurrected, I knew you were sure to come sooner or later." He admitted, looking out the window to avoid meeting his mother's eyes, "However, why didn't you come when she FIRST appeared?" he asked, a coy smirk on his face "It took a report from the GXP to motivate you? Is that it?"

"Yosho…" Funaho spoke out, the priest flinching, wondering if he'd overstepped his bounds with his mother, only to blink as she held out her cup "May I have another cup of tea, Yosho?"

'She isn't the Intelligence Minister for nothing…' Yosho muttered, marvelling at how easily his mother put him on edge with something so simple, even as he poured a fresh batch of green tea for her. "Mihoshi submitted her report to the Galaxy Police over two months ago…" he smiled at his mother as he poured her tea "Might I ask what took so long?"

"I suppose you could it's because Mihoshi submitted such an…exhausting, report." Funaho supplied cryptically, smiling at her son's befuddled expression "Her report has been rated Top-Secret by the Galaxy Police."

"Which means it will be passed on to the Jurai Supreme Council's next meeting." Yosho muttered, wincing at the idea of those old fogies getting their hands on his whereabouts.

"That's right," Funaho agreed, her tone wistful "This is no longer a private matter of the Jurai Royal Family anymore." She looked up at Yosho's solemn expression "The King of Jurai will be here soon."

"Father's coming…" the former crown prince muttered, grimacing at the idea of reuniting with his estranged sire after 700 years in self-imposed exile "No doubt with the Council's Executive Committee in tow…"

"Misaki and I are the Council's representatives." Funaho supplied, the first empress smiling at her son's startled expression as he gaped at her in surprise.

"I see…" the crown prince sighed, relief and amusement adorning his features as he turned to stare out the window "So the Inspector-General of Information and the Supreme Commander of the Royal Bodyguard just HAD to come all this way."

Funaho said nothing, her features solemn as regarded her son "Royal Trees lose their power once they take root in the soil of other worlds." She turned to follow her son's gaze to a tree in the garden "Yosho, you understand that if we want to sustain their power, we must keep them charged by the power of other royal trees."

Yosho frowned, turning to face his mother as she continued to stare out the window "Over the years…" she continued "The Royal ships that vanished included your Funaho, Ayeka's Ryu-oh…" she turned to eye her son solemnly "And Sasami's ship as well."

"You're wondering about my appearance." Yosho deduced, looking down at his young, vital body as he spoke "You'd like to know why Tsunami had to do this."

"The report ALSO mentioned GEMS as the source of Ryoko's power." Funaho pointed out, her expression unreadable in the face of Yosho's amazement "And that they were embedded in the Tenchi-ken to hold Ryoko captive."

"That Mihoshi really is thorough isn't she?" Yosho muttered, rubbing the back of his head at the proverbial hornet's nest the unassuming blonde had stirred up "So you pretty much knew what to expect, didn't you?"

"I really don't know what you mean by that." Funaho countered, her eyes shimmering slightly with emotion "I merely came to see how you were doing."

"I see…" Yosho chuckled, looking his mother in the eye "My Spaceship tree is the only thing sustaining my life." He admitted, getting to his feet "I was rather surprised to find out that Funaho hadn't lost its power…" he turned to face the window "Then I made an interesting discovery…I learned that Ryoko's gems were giving energy to my tree."

* * *

_Outside..._

"SAY WHAT?" Ryoko hissed, her ear pressed against the door as she gnashed her teeth in anger, only Tenchi's calming presence through their link keeping the pirate from smashing the door down and throttling the prince "Why that perverted old LEECH!"

"Calm DOWN!" Tenchi hissed, his hands on the pirate's shoulders, holding a finger to his lips for emphasis "You wanna get us caught?"

Ryoko grimaced, wanting nothing more than to bust in and pound the crown prince into a mushy paste, his mother be damned, but Tenchi's calming presence pushed her anger to the side, the pirate settling down to listen as Funaho confirmed Jurai's suspicion on the similarity of her gems to Royal Trees.

"There was no doubt that her gems were powerful." Funaho's voice agreed "But, YOUR ship must have sensed that too…" she released a sound of amusement "Not to mention you, who fought with her hand to hand…"

She fell silent, the two eavesdroppers feeling a subtle shift in the atmosphere of the office as the First Empress finally got around to what she was implying.

"Given that all this is true…" Funaho deduced, her tone reserved, but laced with a serious undertone that was fitting of her royal station "Ryoko's gems should be able to create Light Hawk Wings just like Tenchi can!"

* * *

And shit just got all up in this bi-aitch.

How will Ryoko react to learning her gems are being uses as life-support for yosho?

Will Tarble survive his encounter with Misaki?

And how will the Emperor react to two full blooded Saiyan males hanging around his virgin daughters?

Azusa: READY THE DEATH STAR!

Needless to say, the fan has started to spin.


	20. Chapter 20

Last time on Saiyan Muyo!

The Princess' get a visit from Family.

Misaki: My BABY!

Ayeka: Kill me now.

Katsuhito gets a taste of his own medicine.

Funaho: So this is where you've been hiding...

Yosho: now mother...

And Ryoko and Tenchi get an earful.

Tenchi: Ryoko! Put down the Chainsaw!

And now, we continue!

* * *

Chapter 18: No Need for a Family Feuds.

"Are you okay, Tarble-kun?" Sasami wondered, looking the young Saiyan over in concern as she helped the Saiyan Prince sit on the couch, "You're not hurt are you? Mama sometimes forgets her own strength."

"I'm so sorry Sasami-chan!" Empress Misaki Masaki Jurai offered, the 2nd wife of the King of Jurai clapping her hands together and bowing her head in apology "I was such so overjoyed to see you! You've grown so much and I wasn't here to see it!"

"It's nothing," Tarble assured the mother and daughter pair, waving off Sasami's concerned hands as he smiled at the pair "Still, I am surprised Sasami-san…you didn't tell me your mother was so strong."

"Mama's the Supreme Commander of the Jurai Royal Guard." Sasami admitted, smiling at the Saiyan with a hint of pride in her tone even as he gaped at her in disbelief "She oversees their training PERSONALLY."

"Sounds harsh…" Tarble muttered, grimacing as he offered a silent prayer for the poor souls in the royal guard, despite the fact many of them would take offence to receiving pity from a Saiyan, only to blink as Ayeka stumbled into the house.

"THERE you are…" the elder princess sighed, a look of exhaustion on her face as her eyes landed on her mother, who beamed up at her in joy "Mother, it's been SO long since we saw each other…" she beamed at the woman uncertainly "I just saw Funaho-sama at the shrine, it's so GOOD to see you both doing so well!"

Tarble blinked, wondering why on earth the elder princess was acting so strangely, he could see the nervousness in her stance even from where he sat. But then again, considering how 'excitable' Sasami's mother's greetings were, he suspected the elder princess was simply holding back out of self-preservation.

Misaki's smile fell, Ayeka flinching as her mother's stare developed an intense expectancy that would have seemed comical had the princess not experienced it countless times before, slumping slightly as she braced herself for the indignity, 'and in front of a SAIYAN too!' of greeting her mother in the 'proper' fashion.

"OKAA-SAMA!" she squealed, her eye twitching as Tarble face-faulted, the Saiyan prince's leg twitching in the air at how childish the normally reserved princess sounded 'Oh the indignity of it all!' Ayeka wept, disguising them as tears of joy as she stepped forward into her mother's embrace, the second empress pulling her eldest daughter into a crushing hug 'At least that Hag Ryoko isn't here to see this…'

"Um…" Tarble stammered, the Saiyan Prince looking up at the reunited mother and daughter in alarm, from his spot on the floor, noting the normally composed sister's tears with a troubled expression "Are they…normally like this?"

"Okaa-sama's a little overprotective." Sasami admitted, the younger princess sweatdropping as she smiled sheepishly at the Saiyan prince, only to replace it with a look of adoration as she watched her sibling and mother reunite "But we love her all the same."

"Mother huh?" Tarble wondered, the second prince looking up at the woman that bore than a passing resemblance to his friend as she mashed her and Ayeka's cheeks together, a wistful smile coming over his features "Must be nice…"

"Tarble-kun?" Sasami wondered, the little princess looking down at her friend in concern as she noticed his expression "Didn't YOU have a mother?"

"Well, yeah." Tarble admitted, looking up at her in acknowledgement "But she died shortly after I was born…complications with birth." He smiled sadly "Its funny…I never even knew her…so I guess this is the first time I've seen a mom up close."

Sasami blinked, her eyes wide as she stared down at the Saiyan teen, a saddened expression coming across her features, even as her mother and Ayeka eyed him, the elder princess sporting a heartfelt expression despite herself, while Misaki's eyes sparkly with unshed tears.

"But enough about that." Tarble muttered, holding up his hands to wave away their looks of sadness as he turned to Misaki and Ayeka, bowing towards his friend's mother politely, one hand across his chest in the traditional Saiyan greeting "It's a pleasure to meet you, Misaki-sama."

"KAWAI~!" Misaki cheered, little hearts in her eyes as Tarble once again found himself on the receiving end of the patented Misaki-glomp, though thankfully the Empress held back from using the majority of her immense strength "Oh Sasami-chan he's adorable! How could Yosho-kun not tell us he had such a cute grandson!"

"O-OKAA-SAMA!" Ayeka stammered, the elder princess mortally embarrassed not only by the woman's actions, past and present, but by her misassumptions "Compose yourself! That isn't Yosho Nii-sama's heir!"

"He isn't?" Misaki wondered, the Empress blinking up at her eldest in confusion, before looking down at the stunned Tarble, who blinked up at her from between her breasts like a stunned cub "Then who is he?"

"He's a Saiyan." Ayeka supplied, doing her best to keep her racial prejudice out of her tone, as she didn't actually have any grudges against the young prince…though she'd be DAMNED if she left her precious little sister alone with him.

"A Saiyan?" Misaki repeated, blinking in confusion, only for her eyes to widen as she espied Tarble's tail waving lazily in the air behind the teen as he hung in her grip.

"Sorry about this…" the Saiyan prince offered, idly praying that he wasn't about to be slammed into the walls again, as going by Ayeka alone, it was clear the majority of Juraians despised Saiyans, Sasami being an exception.

"KAWAI~!" Misaki squealed, Ayeka's head slamming into the floor as her mother's grip on the startled Saiyan tightened, the 2nd empress squealing as she twirled around with him clutched to her chest in glee "He's so cute Sasami! Oh I could just eat him up!"

"Okaa-sama…" Sasami chuckled weakly, sweatdropping as Ayeka pulled herself out of the crater she'd left in the floor, the elder Princess' head stained with blood as she twitched spasmodically from the strain of restraining herself.

"The hell is all the noise down here?" a rough voice demanded, the group looking up just as Raditz, naked save for a pair of spandex boxers and a towel around his neck, glared at them as he came down the stairs.

"R-Raditz-san!" Ayeka stammered her face red as she glared at the Saiyan, clapping her hand over Sasami's eyes to shield her sister from the sight of the Saiyan's naked, chiselled, sculptured, 'oh my, is it getting warm in here?', body "Put a shirt on! We have company!"

"Company?" Raditz snorted, scowling at the elder Princess in annoyance "What in the hell are you talking about, woman?"

"Well Hello!" Misaki greeted, Raditz turning, only to recoil as he found the blue haired woman standing right in his face, her tone sultry and a slight blush adorning her features as she leaned in close "And who might you be?"

"Who in BLAZES?" Raditz wondered, backing away from the woman instinctively, only to blink as she suddenly appeared at his arm, squeezing his muscles with both hands.

"EEK! Ayeka!" she exclaimed, hugging the startled Guardsman's arm tightly causing Raditz's eyes to widen at the strength she possessed "So THIS is why you haven't been writing back? How could you keep such a hunk to yourself!"

"O-OKAA-SAMA!" Ayeka exclaimed, her features turning an atomic shade of red as her embarrassment level rose to well over 9000 "Listen to yourself! I'd sooner DIE than have anything to do with a Saiyan!"

"Oh, you're a Saiyan too?" Misaki wondered, looking up at Raditz in surprise, the guardsman halting in his bid to pull his arm out of her embrace as she smiled up at him "This is amazing! I've never seen one up close before!" she leaned in close, placing her hand to the side of her face in a stage whisper "Tell me, is it true that EVERYTHING get's bigger when you transform?"

"OKAA-SAMA!" Ayeka shrieked, causing every windowpane and reflective surface in the house to shatter, while Sasami and Tarble stood off to the side, their features almost a match for the elder princess' atomic blush.

* * *

_Back up at the shrine..._

The dying echo of the first princess' scream caused Yosho and Funaho to pause in their conversation, sweatdropping as it faded away.

"I see Misaki hasn't changed one bit…" the former crown prince mused, wincing in sympathy for his former-fiancée/ half-sibling, only to settle his features as his mother chuckled "So…you came here for Washu." He muttered, having finally gotten to the heart of the matter.

"We CAME to check on Ayeka and Sasami-chan." Funaho countered, her tone proper, even as she levelled a disapproving frown at her son "And I wanted to check on YOU, you haven't said so much as a word to your poor mother in 700 years!"

"Uh…well…" Yosho stammered, put on the spot once more, marvelling at his mother's ability to do so after so long "I WAS going to go back to Jurai after I defeated Ryoko…" he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck "But something came up and…"

"Boys…" Funaho sighed, shaking her head in disappointment "Once they discover girls they never give a thought to their mothers…such is life…" she sighed as she pretended to ignore Yosho's protests to the contrary "And poor Ayeka-chan…she DOES seem to be happy here…"

'When she isn't fighting it out with Ryoko you mean…' Yosho muttered, having no doubt Mihoshi had included their squabbling in her report before turning as his mother got to her feet "I'll have Tenchi escort you to the house…" he insisted, resuming his guise as the elderly priest, opening the sliding door of his office, only to blink as a fist filled his field of vision.

'That's funny…I didn't know my office had a skylight…' he thought dazedly, watching the dancing stars on the ceiling as he fell into grateful slumber.

"Yosho!" Funaho exclaimed, looking alarmed at the sight of her son spread out on his back, rounding on the assailant with a frown, only to blink at the sight of an enraged Ryoko glaring back at her.

"Ji-chan!" Tenchi exclaimed, the youth stumbling into the office, his features filled with concern as he crouched next to his mildly concussed grandparent, checking him over briefly before looking up at Ryoko in alarm "Jeez, Ryoko, overkill much?"

"Like hell…" Ryoko growled, her eyes never leaving Funaho, as if DARING the First lady of Jurai to make a move "I'm not letting them off so easy…not here…not THIS time!"

"Bold words…" Funaho countered, her feature a mask of professional calm that comes from staring down countless opponents in the political arena, the same cold expression that Ryoko had gazed into when Yosho had sealed her away "Coming from one of the most notorious felons the galaxy has ever known."

"The statute of limitations ran out on me over a year ago, hag." Ryoko shot back, her tone cold and derisive as she smirked at the empress "Not even Jurai can touch me here, not without causing an intergalactic incident." She smirked "Hell, when you consider the fact that your precious 'Ayeka-chan' dogged me here, and opened FIRE of all things, are you REALLY in any position to be calling ME a felon? Or does the law not apply to you royal types?"

"Ayeka is a fine, upstanding young lady…" Funaho countered, her expression calm, even as she suppressed a nervous tick at the folly of her step-daughter "Who, sadly, takes more after her father than I'm comfortable admitting."

"Yeah, cause the King's REAL famous for his calm, rational decision making skills." Ryoko shot back, snorting dismissively as she continued to match Funaho's glare with her own "In any case, if you read Mihoshi's report, you'll note I was an unwilling ACCOMPLICE, Kagato was the mastermind, and Tenchi dealt with him WAY before you lot bothered your asses."

"Such a stirring argument!" a voice sniffed, the trio looking up to see Washu standing in the doorway, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue "I KNEW combining you with Zero was a good idea! Now you can ACTUALLY use that brain of yours!"

"SCREW YOU!" Ryoko snapped, blushing at the redhead's gentle mockery, "Forget that!" she muttered, shaking her head "What're you doing here? "

"What, I can't drop in to surprise my widdle Ryoko from time to time?" Washu queried, smirking at the cyan haired pirate coyly "All kidding aside, I heard that lady Funaho had decided to visit her prodigal son, and thought I'd come say hello."

"How kind of you," Funaho offered, her frown shifting to a gentle, reserved smile that was as formal as it was inviting "I was actually looking to have words with you, Washu-san."

"I'm sure you do." Washu noted, a wry smile on her face as she inclined her head towards the queen of Jurai "Tenchi, Ryoko, would you kids mind making yourselves scarce?" she nodded towards Yosho's prone form "Take the old man with you, Funaho and I are gonna have a little girl talk."

"In that case I'm staying right here." Ryoko countered, her arm folded beneath her breasts as she ignored Washu's look to match gazes with Funaho once more.

"Ryoko…" Washu intoned, her tone laced with maternal authority "I know you're still getting used to being 'complete' again, but I'm fairly certain there isn't anything wrong with your hearing." She eyed her daughter commandingly "Go, Funaho and I are merely going to talk."

"Her son stole my gems and sealed me in a cold, dark cave for 700 years." Ryoko shot back, causing Tenchi to wince and Washu to blink at the emotion in the pirate's tone, the teen's eyes widening as he felt the memory of the pirate's pain and loneliness flow through their link "I'm not just going to step back and let her do the same to my mother.

* * *

Washu's POV...

Washu's eyes widened, the redhead gaping at her creation, her DAUGHTER's, willing declaration their relationship, a feeling of joy and wonderment washing over her, a warm, grateful smile appearing on her features as she reached up to pat her daughter on the arm.

"Go." She insisted, pressing a finger to Ryoko's lips when the pirate opened her mouth to protest again, "I'll be fine," she assured the pirate, smirking confidently "You didn't just inherit my good looks and sex drive after all…believe me when I can say I can take care of myself." She turned to smile at Funaho "Though I'm sure it won't come to that, right?"

"Indeed." Funaho assured the pair, her smile cordial even as Ryoko scowled, the pirate glaring at her the entire while, only to sigh, unclenching her fist and stepping back.

"You need me…Call me." She muttered to Washu in passing, before fading over, slinging the unconscious Katsuhito other arm over her shoulders, helping Tenchi frog-march the priest out of the shrine and down the steps towards the house.

"Such a loyal daughter you have there." Funaho noted, watching as Ryoko and Tenchi carted her unconscious son off, the space pirate's ochre eyes glaring at her over her shoulder until they were out of sight.

"That she is…" Washu mused, a warm, distant smile adorning her features as she watched her daughter disappear down the steps "Of course, Tenchi-dono's got her wrapped around his little finger," she cracked, snickering at the boy's naïveté "even if he doesn't know it."

"He really is something else." Funaho agreed, smiling at her son's grandson, marvelling at how the boy's resemblance to Yosho, and yet how clumsy and nervous he seemed in comparison to her reserved, cultured son.

"But enough about progeny." Washu scoffed, cutting off her chuckles as she turned to face the queen of Jurai, her hands adorning her hips "I'm sure you didn't come ALL this way just to compliment me on my, admittedly sub-standard, child raising skills."

"In a way I HAVE." Funaho countered, her tone bemused as she opened her eyes to smile at the redhead cryptically "Ryoko is indeed a fascinating person…strong, determined, her own woman in almost every way…You must be proud of her."

"Your flattery does you discredit, Funaho-dono." Washu scoffed, a self mocking expression adorning her features as she shrugged "Heck, I can't even take the credit, she's been raised by so many people since I was sealed away, I'm surprised she can even bring her self to call me mommy."

"Kagato, you mean." Funaho opined, the first empress' words cutting through the redhead's good mood like a Light Hawk Sword "And the elder Saiyan…Raditz, was it?"

"Mihoshi-dono certainly was THUROUGH with her reports." Washu applauded sardonically, her emerald eyes locking onto Funaho's dark ones even as she plotted nasty revenge on the unassuming Kuramitsu when she returned, IF she returned, knowing how Jurai took security threats.

"She is at that." Funaho agreed, an exhausted, EXASPERATED expression adorning the first intelligence secretary-general's features as she sweat dropped "It took Jurai's Supreme Council FOUR days to summarise her report…during that time it was IMPOSSIBLE to do anything else."

"Whenever Mihoshi-dono's involved, it takes TIME alright…" Washu opined, a matching expression adorning her own features, even as the level of torture she had planned for the blonde airhead was reduced from something out of Lovecraft's worst nightmares to simply 'Mentally scarring'. After all, anything that caused as much havoc to Jurai's precious bureaucracy was good in the redhead's book. Like mother like daughter as they say.

"Washu-san." Funaho spoke up, the empress' features settling back into her serious, regal expression as she regarded the diminutive redhead before her "I've no doubt that you already know the reason why we came here…" she took a breath to prepare herself "what is your answer?"

Washu straightened up, all traces of amusement and cordiality fading from her features, which shifted into a decidedly neutral expression as she looked the first lady of Jurai in the eyes, Funaho feeling, for the first time in millennia, the feelings of immaturity that she'd felt whenever gazing into her own mother's eyes as a child.

"My answer," Washu spoke up, her voice startling Funaho out of her memories after what felt like an eternity "is NO." the redhead's tone was level and calm, her eyes filled with determination, but also a trace of apologetic respect, as she matched gazes with the mother of the man that sealed her daughter away "I will not create another Ryoko…nor will I permit the mass-production of Ryo-Ohki," she turned on her heel and walked away from the empress "ESPECIALLY not for Jurai."

* * *

_Funaho's pov... _

Funaho sighed, the Secretary-General and first Empress of the Jurai Empire having already anticipated, in truth, EXPECTED the redheaded genius' response.

After all, Hakubi Washu had made it clear CENTURIES ago, even when she'd been nothing more than a student at the Galactic Academy, that she considered herself beholden to no-one, and only showed respect for authority as a matter of convenience, as her less than stellar records had shown.

Exceptional genius or not, there was just no excuse for collecting 'samples' from races that had been deemed 'off limits', the Saiyans being one example. Still, no matter how much she'd expected this…unpleasant turn of events, Funaho had been hoping to convince Washu to her way of thinking WITHOUT having to rely on force.

As it stood, the Royal Trees were the source of Jurai's power as one of the greatest empires in the universe. However the amount of trees capable of becoming a Tree Ship were limited, making it impossible to mass-produce them for military purposes. As it stood, the number of Tree Ships currently in service were limited to the Emperor's Kirito, a first Generation, her own Mizuho and Misaki's Karin, which were 2nd Generation, and Lady Seto's Mikagami. There was also the experimental 3rd Generation Kyoko, but its existence was a secret so highly classified not even most of the council knew of its existence.

As it was, since it was clear negotiations had broken down, thanks in part to her and Yosho's failure to detect Ryoko and Tenchi eavesdropping on their conversation earlier, Funaho found herself dreading having to break the news to Azusa, already imagining the King's reaction to Washu's refusal, never mind what Seto-sama would do when she found out, only to blink as the redhead twirled round to smirk at her, hands clasped behind her back.

"But don't you worry…" Washu assured the Empress, a teasing grin that suited her childish appearance all too well adorning her features "I've no intention of mass-producing them for ANYONE." She smiled up at the dumbstruck Funaho "I don't see Ryoko or Ryo-Ohki as my 'creations', never have." She smiled wistfully "They're my little girls, mine and mine alone." her smile turned shifted to a devious grin as she winked at Yosho's mother "Of course, I MIGHT be inclined to give them a few siblings down the line…"

"With Tenchi?" Funaho queried, smiling at the redhead, already calculating the possibilities, positive and negative, of bringing the Greatest Scientific Mind in the Universe into the family. So far it could go either way.

"Perhaps…" Washu opined, a devious smile adorning the redhead's face as she humoured the idea, savouring the look on Funaho's face, having seen through the woman's scheme instantly "Though I rather doubt Ryoko-chan would be willing to share, Saiyan's ARE known for their territorial instincts you know."

"Ah yes…" Funaho agreed, sweatdropping as she recalled some of the more…detailed sections of Mihoshi's report "They are at that…makes you wonder how she can stand to have so many other girls around him."

"Let's just say she's had a good teacher." Washu replied cryptically, smirking as she envisioned the man in question, recalling his motivational speech on the bridge of Clay's ship "Sure he's not as adorably naïve as Tenchi-dono…" she grinned ferally "but that just means I get to have more fun pressing his buttons."

* * *

A little slow on the action, but then most of this arc was anyways.

Next up, his Nibs finally decides to descend from on high.

Azusa: Play my entrance theme!

Jurai Knight: Yes, my lord!

*Cue the Imperial March*


	21. Chapter 21

Last time on Saiyan Muyo!

Ryoko clocks Katsuhito.

Ryoko: LEECH OF MY ENERGY WILL YA?!

Washu lays down the law.

Funaho: Will you build us magical mascot space ships?

Washu: Hell no.

And Tarble gets some lovin'

Misaki: HE'S SO CUTE!

Tarble: Need...Air...

And now, we continue!

* * *

Chapter 19: No Need for a Duel!

"Don't you worry…" Washu assured the First Empress, a teasing grin that suited her childish appearance all too well adorning her features "I've no intention of mass-producing them for ANYONE." She smiled up at the dumbstruck Funaho "I don't see Ryoko or Ryo-Ohki as my 'creations', never have." She smiled wistfully "They're my little girls, mine and mine alone." her smile turned shifted to a devious grin as she winked at Yosho's mother "Of course, I MIGHT be inclined to give them a few siblings down the line…"

"With Tenchi?" Funaho queried, smiling at the redhead, already calculating the possibilities, positive and negative, of bringing the Greatest Scientific Mind in the Universe into the family.

So far it could go either way.

"Perhaps…" Washu opined, a devious smile adorning the redhead's face as she humoured the idea, savouring the look on Funaho's face, having seen through the woman's scheme instantly "Though I rather doubt Ryoko-chan would be willing to share, Saiyan's ARE known for their territorial instincts you know."

"Ah yes…" Funaho agreed, sweatdropping as she recalled some of the more…detailed sections of Mihoshi's report "They are at that…makes you wonder how she can stand to have so many other girls around him."

"Let's just say she's had a good teacher." Washu replied cryptically, smirking as she envisioned the man in question, recalling his motivational speech on the bridge of Clay's ship "Sure he's not as adorably naïve as Tenchi-dono…" she grinned ferally "but that just means I get to have more fun pressing his buttons."

* * *

_Masaki house... _

"Raditz?" Tarble wondered, the Saiyan Prince looking up at his guardsman in confusion as the elder Saiyan sneezed suddenly, the two having retreated from the reunion for the moment "You alright?"

"It's nothing…" Raditz muttered, the elder Saiyan currently dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a training vest as he sniffed to clear his vision, glaring at his surroundings in suspicion as he rubbed his nose, "Must be something in the air…Saiyans don't get sick."

"Someone could be talking about you." Tarble reasoned, smiling in embarrassment as his guardsman quirked a brow at him "It's an expression here on Earth, if you sneeze without warning, then someone's talking about you behind your back."

"Sounds retarded…" Raditz snorted, crossing his arms as he watched Ryo-Ohki, who was in child form, distract Misaki with her strange little 'dance', making a mental note to bury the little creature in carrots for getting the 'Crazy Woman' to release him "Just what I'd expect from this crazy planet actually."

Tarble chuckled, sweatdropping at his guardsman's sentiments, figuring that the elder Saiyan must still be on edge from being felt over by the empress. As a Saiyan warrior, Raditz was used to being ostracized, feared and loathed throughout the galaxy. It must have been quite a shock for him to run into someone like Misaki and her Wandering Hands of DOOM, the guardsman's tail had never looked so tight around his waist.

"Ohayo…" Tenchi called out, the Saiyans looking up, only to blink at the sight of the teen and Ryoko carrying an unconscious Katsuhito between them, the priest sporting an impressive Shiner and a dazed, mildly concussed expression "Ah, Tarble-Kun, Raditz-san!"

"The hell happened to the old man?" Raditz muttered, the guardsman quirking a brow at the prone for of Katsuhito even as he caught the annoyed twitch of Ryoko's tail.

"It's a long story…" Tenchi admitted, sweatdropping as he rubbed the back of his head, only to recoil in surprise as he found himself looking into a smiling face that appeared right in front of his own.

"Well hello there!" Misaki greeted, the second empress beaming at the startled teen while Ryoko growled off to the side "You must be Tenchi." She deduced, only to throw her arms around the teen when he nodded "Aw you're so CUTE! Just like Yosho when he was little!"

"Hey!" Ryoko growled, the Cyan haired pirate's voice drowning out Ayeka's own protests as she glowered at the woman from the sidelines "Get your hands of Tenchi!"

"Hm?" Misaki wondered, blinking at the pirate in confusion, only for her eyes to sparkle as she espied her lashing tail, shoving Tenchi into the wall as she pounced on the appendage, rubbing it against her cheek "KAWAI!"

'Poor Ryoko…' was the general consensus, the Saiyans flinching in sympathy, their tails wrapping tighter around their waists while Ryoko trembled on the ground, completely at the mercy of Misaki's strength, only to blink, turning their eyes to the roof as the now familiar sound of a space ship engine sounded over head.

"Oh my…" Misaki exclaimed, the 2nd empress releasing Ryoko's tail, much to the pirate's relief, as she tapped her fist into her palm in recollection "I completely forgot the time, Azusa must have been getting impatient.

"F-Father's here too?" Ayeka stammered, the two princesses looking a little alarmed at the prospect of their sire actually coming to earth in person. Oh they loved their father to bits, but the King of Jurai wasn't known for his calm temperament, ESPECIALLY in regards to anything that concerned the safety of his 'little girls'.

"Huh…so His Nibs actually deigned to come down off his throne to consort with mortals has he?" Raditz muttered, the Saiyan's tone mocking as he crossed his arms "This oughta be good…"

"Raditz…" Tarble muttered, looking up at his guardsman in disapproval, nodding his head towards Ayeka and Sasami, the guardsman ignoring the elder Princess' glare, only to flinch at the hurt expression on Sasami's face, turning his head to the side with an apologetic grunt.

"Well then!" Misaki cheered, the 2nd empress clapping her hands together "Let's not keep him waiting shall we?" she beamed as she grabbed a surprised Raditz by the arm "Come on, Radish-kun!"

"It's RADITZ!" the Saiyan guardsman snapped, glaring at the woman as she somehow managed to manhandle him out the door "Dammit woman, let me go!"

"Poor Raditz-san…" Sasami sighed, the little princess clapping her hands together as her mother dragged the Saiyan out onto the porch "He's caught mama's interest…Namu."

Tenchi and the others sweatdropped, even Ayeka looking a little uncomfortable, as she had plenty of experience with her mother's flights of fancy, enough to make her pity ANYONE who caught the woman's interests, even a Saiyan.

Still, it didn't mean she wasn't getting a vindictive sense of pleasure watching the barbarian SQUIRM in her mother's grasp. That would teach the brute not to speak ill of the Jurai Royal Family!

* * *

_Outside the house..._

"Onee-sama!" Misaki called out, the group blinking as they stepped out of the house, following the woman's gaze to see Funaho walking towards the house from the shrine road, alongside a smiling Washu "Lookie-Lookie!" Misaki cried, dragging a struggling Raditz over for her co-wife to see "It's the Saiyan from the report!"

"So I see…" Funaho noted, the first empress' expression one of surprised intrigue as she actually had to tilt her head up to get a look at the guardsman "My, he's certainly a big one, isn't he?"

"Isn't he just?" Misaki agreed, the energetic second empress pulling up the startled Raditz's vest and giving the Saiyan's abs a hearty slap "And look at this! Like steel I tell you!"

"DO YOU MIND, WOMAN?!" Raditz roared, his temper finally rearing its ugly head as he ripped himself free of Misaki's grip, pulling his vest down as he glared at her, his head enlarged to startling proportions.

"Ease up there, Radish-kun." Washu called out, stepping between the two with an wry smile as she smirked up at the Saiyan "Wouldn't want to start an intergalactic incident with the King of Jurai waiting for an excuse to blast us into itty-bitty pieces, now would you?"

"Please…" Raditz snorted, the Saiyan scowling down at the redhead as he crossed his arms before him defiantly "Like I'm scared of someone who hides behind an overgrown piece of kindling, even if he DID have the stones to blast us with his wives in the line of fire."

"I can see what you meant earlier, Washu-chan." Funaho chuckled, eyeing the big Saiyan, her eyes twinkling in amusement as he turned his glare on her "He IS rather cute when he's flustered."

"I am not 'CUTE'…" Raditz glowered, glaring into the first empress' eyes to get his point across, only to growl as the woman responded with a smile that would put Buddha to shame.

"In any case…" Funaho continued, surprising everyone by offering a polite bow to the Saiyan Guardsman "On behalf of the Jurai Royal Family, I offer you thanks for your assistance during the Shinseijuu incident."

"Yes!" Misaki exclaimed, the emotional woman suddenly grabbing the startled Saiyan's arm and sobbing into it "Thank you for saving my Ayeka-chan's chastity from that monster!"

"OKAA-SAMA!" Ayeka shrieked, her face as red as Washu's hair as she fumed in embarrassment at her mother's behaviour, the others sweatdropping at the sight, sighing weakly as the princess made strangling motions in the air towards Ryoko, who was snickering openly, only Tenchi keeping the two rivals apart.

Raditz, who was still thrown by Misaki's bizarre behaviour from before, found himself unable to stay angry before her distress, "You…don't need to thank me…" he muttered, turning his head to the sighed with an awkward grunt "I didn't do anything worth praise."

"Is that a blush I see, Radish-Kun?" Washu teased, earning a glare from the Saiyan as she stood just behind Funaho, who didn't appreciate being used as a human shield "Ooh! You dirty monkey…"

Before Raditz's thoughts could turn to mass genocide, the group was distracted by a glittering pattern of lights, which descended from the Kirito like stars falling from the heavens, converging as they reached the deck, revealing a tall man in royal Juraian robes, his long hair and beard the same shade of purple as Ayeka's own locks, though his features were tanned and firm, and his stare spoke of countless decades of experience, both on and off the battlefield.

"Otou-sama!" Sasami cheered, the little princess running forward to greet her father, alongside a cheerful Ryo-Ohki, while Ayeka held back, looking nervous and uncertain.

"Well," Azusa Masaki Jurai greeted, the King's hawk-like gaze softening slightly as his eyes landed on his errant daughters "You're looking well, Ayeka…Sasami…"

He trailed off, eyes widening at the sight of Misaki waving at him whilst standing arm in arm with an uncomfortable looking Raditz, while Washu waved at him cheekily from behind Funaho, a scowl forming on the king's features as he glared at the Saiyan.

"Otou-sama," Ayeka spoke up, the elder princess recognizing the signs of the King's temper beginning to flare as she gestured to Tenchi, who eyed his Great-Grandfather with a hint of nervous awe, the man WAS the Emperor after all "This is Tenchi-sama, in case you were wondering."

"Is he now?" Azusa muttered, his frown decreasing, though not by much, as he eyed the teen, noting the stamp of Yosho's features on the boy as he bowed at the waist, only to snort dismissively and turn on his heel "Ayeka! Sasami!" he barked, the two girls looking up in surprise "We're going home."

"But…Otou-sama!" Ayeka exclaimed, the princess looking at her father's proud back in confused desperation "Please listen to me! He's Yosho-Nii-sama's grandson!"

"YOSHO," Azusa grit out slowly, "Got married to that…EARTHLING…" he didn't quite spit the name "DESPITE my wishes." He glared at Tenchi over his shoulder "I have no NEED for his grandson."

"Have you forgotten that 'I' am one of those 'Earthlings', dear?" Funaho reminded her husband cooly, the King of Jurai flinching at the tone even as he turned to meet her upset gaze head on.

"You are DIFFERENT…" Azusa stammered, only to flinch as his first wife demanded to know exactly HOW she differed from her people, the frustrated King turning to Misaki for support, only to recoil as he found her visibly restraining herself, a handkerchief clenched between her teeth in disapproval.

"Heh…" Raditz snorted, the Saiyan Guardsman smirking at the scene as he leant against the wall of the house with his arms crossed before him, having escaped Misaki's clutches when she began glaring at her husband "Look at the Mighty King of Jurai…if he wasn't so pussy-whipped, I'd say he was in the doghouse now…"

Azusa glared at the Saiyan, wishing he could whip out his sword and smite the arrogant barbarian off the face of the planet, only to calm himself, reigning in his temper through sheer force of will, composing himself as he turned to face his errant eldest daughter once more.

"Ayeka!" He barked, the princess flinching before her father's stare, which brooked no argument "I have already CHOSEN your fiancé for you…" he shot a cold look at Tenchi, who flinched "One who is SUITED for the Crown Princess of the Jurai Royal Family!"

"No!" Ayeka exclaimed, shaking her head in protest as she clutched Tenchi's coat, looking up at her father plaintively, for all the good it would likely do "Father, I cannot! You see Tenchi is my…"

"Is your WHAT?" Azusa demanded, his glare silencing the princess "He CERTAINLY isn't your fiancé…" he scowled at the teen "In any case, from what I've heard the boy has bonded with a SAIYAN of all things." His contempt at the word was evident as he practically flung it from his lips "Such…HERESY has no PLACE on Jurai."

Ayeka recoiled as if slapped, while off to the side, Ryoko growled, her ochre eyes narrowing at the King of Jurai. Not out of anger for his insulting her, she was USED to worse than the king could ever muster, nor out of concern for Ayeka, as grudging friends or not, she really didn't like the way the princess had tried to pass Tenchi off as her fiancé.

No, what riled the pirate was the King's snubbing of Tenchi, her Saiyan temper literally chomping at the bit as she resisted the urge, barely, to incinerate the man where he stood, consequences be damned.

"Hey." A deep voice called out, the group turning to find Raditz glaring at Azusa, the Saiyan guardsman giving off an aura of tangible danger despite having not moved from his spot against the wall "You got something against Saiyans old man? I'm more than willing to take 'em up."

"Raditz, no!" Tarble exclaimed, the Saiyan prince interposing himself between his guardsman and the King of Jurai "He's Sasami-san's father! I'm sure he just means what's best for them."

"I DO." Azusa muttered, eyeing the shorter Saiyan with a glare, though it was noticeably less severe than the one he levelled at Raditz, perhaps seeing the prince as less of a threat "And one thing I know for CERTAIN is that it's best to get them as far away from you…animals, as possible."

"Otou-sama!" Sasami called out, surprising everyone with the anger in her tone as she stamped her foot "Raditz-san and Tarble-kun are NOT animals!" she insisted, glaring at the startled king all the while "So help me, if you call them that again I'll hate you forever!"

* * *

_CRITICAL HIT-!_

"Sasami-chan…!" Azusa exclaimed, looking at his little girl in shock, only for her to turn her head from him, causing the dagger in his heart to twist, the King of Jurei gaping like a landed trout, wondering where he'd gone wrong, only to blink as Ryo-Ohki padded towards him nervously.

"What?" he stammered, looking on in confusion as the little cabbit went through her dance routine, "What do you want?" he demanded again, only to sweat drop as the little thing's eyes welled up, before bursting out in tears "What did I do?"

"There now…" Funaho sighed, stepping forwards, ignoring her befuddled husband in favour of wiping away Ryo-Ohki's tears with her handkerchief, patting the little Cabbit's mane of cyan-black hair soothingly "Thank you for that wonderful performance…" she offered, before levelling a glare up at the hapless Azusa, one which promised a DECADE on The Couch, if he didn't get a clue.

Azusa jerked, catching his first wife's drift, and not wishing to spend one MINUTE on The Couch, which was as uncomfortable as was humanely possible to create, and had the unpleasant bonus of being a wedding gift from Seto, offered a nervous smile before kneeling down and petting the child on the head, his stern features settling into something a little more relaxed as he marvelled at how much she reminded him of Sasami as a child.

"So are you REALLY taking them home?" Funaho wondered, the two of them looking on as Ryo-Ohki ran back to the group, leaping up into Tenchi's arms to be fussed over by the girls, while Raditz and Tarble looked on from the sidelines, the elder Saiyan actually offering a slightly less mocking smirk as he eyed the group from the sidelines "Is that what THEY want?"

Azusa frowned, looking upon the happy, energetic faces of his daughters, noting how they seemed so much more, ALIVE, than they had within the sheltered palace of Jurai, his heart softening, as deep down he WANTED his girls to be happy. But he was first, and foremost, the King of Jurai, and that meant that, in order to ensure the safety of his people, he sometimes had make hard decisions.

He could live with Ayeka and Sasami's hatred. It would gut him to the core, but he would be content simply knowing they were safe, which he CERTAINLY couldn't ensure if he left them with two SAIYANS. One would have been bad enough, and the elder one had a distinctly WILD look about him that had the king's 'Paternal Instincts' all fired up and pounding their chests.

"Ayeka, Sasami!" he called out, getting to his feet and levelling a stern glare at his daughters, "Is this true…?" he demanded "You would choose to remain here…with that BOY…" he deferred from mentioning the Saiyans again "Over coming home with ME?"

Ayeka stepped closer to Tenchi, earning a warning growl from Ryoko that prevented her from touching him, while Sasami stepped closer to Tarble, taking the startled Saiyan's arm with a frown that caused Azusa to flinch.

"Very well then…" the Emperor ground out, his shoulders trembling with restrained anger "I guess there isn't much we can do about it…you may do as you please…UNDER ONE CONDITION!" he snapped, eyes narrowing as he cut off Ayeka's bow of thanks "You may remain here if, and ONLY if, that boy wins a duel against the man I chose as your Fiancé!"

* * *

_something stupid this way comes..._

"Huh?" Tenchi stammered, the poor teen blinking at suddenly being put on the spot as the group turned to look at him, the sound of tapping sticks in the background "ME?"

"Wow," Raditz snickered, the Saiyan smirking at the teen from the sidelines "Aren't you Mr. popular, looks like EVERYONE wants a piece of your ass." He shot a bemused snort up at the King's ship as a second cluster of stars fell from above "In more ways than one."

"Yeah…Lucky me…" Tenchi replied sardonically, sighing in exasperation as he waited for Ayeka's betrothed to appear, only to blink in shock as the sky darkened around them.

"Well…" a charismatic voice chuckled, the group looking up as a beam of light dropped from the Kirito "I've been WAITING for this moment…"

Tenchi blinked, wondering what the heck was up with the overdramatic entrance, as even the EMPEROR had been more discreet in his arrival, a sentiment that was apparently shared by Azusa himself, as the King's right brow was twitching in irritation.

With a scattering of light which took the form of scattered cherry petals, a tall warrior in the robes of Juraian nobility appeared on the dock, his bubblegum pink hair done up in a traditional topknot as he posed regally with a fan.

"I believe you'll see they left the BEST for last…" he declared, eyeing them coyly from behind his fan, only to blink as Azusa snapped his fingers, cutting off the elaborate music and returning the lighting to normal "What?" the noble complained "We were just coming to the best part!" he smiled as he espied Ayeka in the crowd "Ah, Ayeka-sama…" he greeted, bowing elaborately "Seiryo Temnon," he introduced "and if I may say so, you look Mag-NIF-iscent!"

"Who the Hell is THIS faggot?" Raditz muttered, the group sweatdropping as the Saiyan guardsman voiced their thoughts without a care to the consequences, Ayeka's betrothed stumbling at the Saiyan's words, almost pitching himself headfirst into the water.

"How rude!" Seiryo huffed, shielding his features with his fan, turning his head to the side with a sniff "Such barbarism is what I would EXPECT from such a backwater little planet!"

"You ARE aware that your First Empress is from this planet, right?" Ryoko pointed out, the Space Pirate inclining her head towards Funaho, who was frowning at the man's slurring of Earth with an intensity that made Azusa glad it wasn't HIM.

"And she clearly had the sense to move up in the world." The fop recounted, missing the glare the Emperor's first wife was directing his way "Honestly, can you BLAME her from wishing to escape from this dirt ball littered with flea-bitten MONKEYS?"

Tenchi shivered, knowing instinctively, without turning round, that the cracking noise he heard behind him was the sound of the wall Raditz was leaning against beginning to cave under the preassure of the Saiyan's anger.

"Brat…" the Saiyan guardsman muttered, more like a growl really, stepping away from the dent he left in the wall, his features like a thundercloud as the girls parted before him like the Red Sea before Moses "This one's MINE."

"Oh?" Seiryo simpered, eyeing the oncoming Saiyan with look of genteel mockery from behind his fan, heedless of his imminent danger "So the commoner has to have a savage fight his battle's for him?"

"Don't get me wrong…" Raditz snorted "I'm NOT doing this for him…heck for all I care you and the banshee can go screw each other till you're blue in the face, though the idea of the children scares me."

"You BRUTE!" Seiryo exclaimed, his eyes flashing in pompous anger as he waved his fan aside, a sentiment shared by Ayeka, though more out of disgust at the thought of being force to...couple...with the pink haired fop "I will NOT stand idly by and let you insult Ayeka-sama."

"Sit down then…" Raditz shot back, the Saiyan smirking, his arms crossed before him as he came to a halt a good twenty feet away from the fop "Unless you got the stones to do something about it?"

"Radish-kun! Ganbare!" Misaki called out, the Saiyan stumbling, looking over his shoulder to find woman waving victory fans as she cheered, the girls sitting on the patio, having a nice little picnic, Tenchi and Tarble chuckling in embarrassment as they waved at the guardsman from their spots next to Ryoko, Ayeka and Sasami, while Azusa stood off to the side, scowling in disapproval.

'What is WITH this crazy planet?!' the Saiyan growled, turning his back on the scene to glare at Seiryo impatiently "Well come on! I've got better things to do today than take out the garbage!"

* * *

_On the sidelines... _

"This is so exciting!" Misaki exclaimed, having put the fans away as she stepped over to her husband, offering him some popcorn "How long do you think it will take Radish-kun to defeat Seiryo?"

Azusa scoffed, ignoring the Saiyan's yell of 'IT'S RADITZ DAMMIT!' as he waved the proffered popcorn away with his hand "Just you watch, Seiryo is going to win in under a minute."

"I see…" Misaki mused, nibbling on a mouthful in thought, before turning to beam at the others "Onee-sama!" she called out "Put me down for 50,000 yen on Radish-kun!"

"So you're betting on Raditz-san as well?" Funaho queried, sipping her tea with an amused smile, heedless of Azusa's facefault or Raditz's enraged yells, while Ryoko and Sasami cheered the big Saiyan on "What about you, Washu-chan? Are you betting on your man as well?"

"No…" Washu countered, refusing to rise to the Empress' bait, even as the others blinked between the two in confusion as she tossed popcorn into her mouth expertly "I'm betting on Mihoshi-dono…"

The group blinked, looking up into the sky as the sound of something falling filled the air, Sasami dashing out to hand a parasol to her father, who refused to come sit with them out of pride, Seiryo lunging towards Raditz, sword raised over his head, only for the Saiyan's tail to lash out, sending the fop flying into the lake just as Mihoshi's cruiser crashed into it with all the grace of a blue whale dropped from orbit.

* * *

_Later... _

"I swear…." Raditz muttered, the Saiyan Guardsman's tail twitching irritably as he glared at the King and his wives as they said their goodbyes, Katsuhito having CONVENIENTLY revived after the fight, and Seiryo having already been fished out of the lake and beamed back onto the ship "I fucking HATE this planet."

"Now, now, don't say that." Washu countered, smirking up at the mildly damp guardsman coyly, tilting her head in the direction of Tarble and Sasami, who were saying goodbye to Misaki along with the others "At the very least, it isn't BORING here." she eyed the Saiyan with a hurt expression "Though couldn't you have held on a few seconds before you belted him? I would've made a killing!""

"Whatever..." Raditz scoffed, averting his eyes from the redhead's puppy-dog eyes derisively, only for his features to soften when he noticed how his Prince's tail twitched happily as he stood alongside Sasami, the two of them still holding hands.

"RADISH-KUN!" Misaki called out, snapping the Guardsman out of his daze, Raditz looking up to see the second Empress waving her arm excitedly in farewell, Funaho and Azusa regarding him with amusement and derision respectively "TAKE CARE OF MY BABIES FOR ME!"

"I'm not a damn babysitter woman!" the Saiyan roared, shaking his fists in the air as the royals beamed back up to the Kirito, heedless of the looks of amusement Washu was sending his way "And for the last damn time, IT'S RADITZ!"

* * *

And so the Misaki family reunion comes to a close.

I know this chapter was a little low on the action, considering the lul, but rest assured the next few are going to be a little more lively.

Expect crossovers, plot twists, intrigue and quite possibly a little romance.

Raditz: Like hell!

Washu: Hush now.

In any case, see you soon!


	22. Chapter 22

Yo! Been a while hasn't it? Long enough for the previous chapter's file to be deleted due to age apparently.

Oh well, here's the next one!

Last time on Saiyan Muyo:

Tenchi meets his grandparents!

Azusa: I despise your very existence.

Raditz met Misaki.

Raditz: The hands...those terrible, pawing hands...

And Washu hit the jackpot.

Washu: *Tossing yen in the air* MINE! ALL MINE! NYAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

* * *

Chapter 20: No Need for a Picnic!

"Oh man…" Washu sighed, the redhead walking out of the door to her lab, stretching stiffly to release the tension in her joints "Got too carried away with my research last night, didn't sleep a wink…"

It had been well over a week or so since Ayeka and Sasami's parents decided to grace the Masaki house with their presence, and things were finally starting to get back to normal, or as normal as things could get around here anyway. The only real changes were that Katsuhito had apparently decided to drop the kid gloves and was drilling Tenchi harder than ever before, something that Ayeka supported whole heartedly, seeing it as the perfect way to ingratiate the poor boy with her father.

'Ah young love...' the genius sighed, shaking her head in amusement at the princess' naivety, as anyone that knew anything about Azusa knew that once the King made up his mind, it'd take forever to change it, even with Misaki and Funaho working in tandem with the threat of The Couch as added incentive 'What the hell did I ever see in it.'

She blinked as she entered the living room, finding it empty save for a tense looking Noboyuki, who was leaning over the dining room table, upon which several yen coins were balancing on their edge "Yo, Noboyuki," she called out, smirking slightly as the man almost jumped out of his skin "What'cha doin'?"

"Keep it down!" Noboyuki hissed, whipping round to shush the redhead whilst doing his absolute best not to make too much noise or unnecessary movement, his bloodshot eyes giving the man a slightly deranged appearance "I've only got thirty-three more coins to go before I reach ten thousand!" he explained, nodding towards the rows of coins before him "It'll be a new personal record, so keep it down until then, okay?"

'What a dork…' Washu muttered, the redhead wondering, not for the first time, how someone like Tenchi could be the fruit of such underwhelming loins before looking around, noting a faint scent in the air that implied Sasami had cooked recently "Where are all the normal people at?"

"I sent them away." Noboyuki whispered, not even taking offence to her implied insult, as he was long since used to being regarded as weird by his son's ever growing harem of suitors "They're visiting the old man, said something about a picnic lunch."

"Great." Washu muttered, glad to have an excuse to put as much distance between herself and Noboyuki's latest bout of stupidity, the redhead shutting the door behind her, heedless of Noboyuki's scream of anguish as she made her way over to Azaka and Kamidake, who were, as always, standing watch at the gate. "How's it hangin' fellas?" she greeted, looking the guardians over with a smirk "Man, ever since the incident with Kagato you two have been growin' roots!"

"Just enjoying some much needed R&R ma'am." The guardian replied politely, earning a sigh of agreement from his partner and a snort of dismissal from the redhead "Though it's been a little noisier of late."

"Not noisy enough for my liking." Washu muttered, wondering how in the universe it was possible to be so gods-damned boring on a planet hosting two full-blooded Saiyans, Juraian Princesses, and Mihoshi to name but a few "I for one could use some excitement!"

* * *

_SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE-! _

High up in earth's orbit, a woman gazed down at the floor of her vessel, which lit up to reveal a perfect view of the planet below.

'Wow…we're all the way out in the boon-docks ' she muttered, quirking a brow as she stared down at the quaint little planet below 'Can he really have been hiding out on a backwater planet like this?'

As if in response to her questioning, several charts and screens popped into existence around her, the image of the earth rotating before magnifying, focussing on a small, almost inconsequential chain of islands off the coast of the largest landmass, an eager smile adorning the woman's face as they homed in on the specific energy signature of a Jurai noble.

'And to think they raise such a stink over 'interfering' with undeveloped worlds.' She mused wryly 'Guess it's true what they say, Politicians are hypocrites no matter which planet they hale from.'

Her amusement vanished as an alarm sounded, her eyes narrowing as the scanners finally locked onto what she was looking for, an excited, almost feral grin adorning her features as she gazed down at her target, who was currently duelling with an old man.

"I finally found you…" she murmured, ochre eyes glinting with a wolfish eagerness as she watched the old man trick the teen into looking away, punishing him for his mistake with a blow to the head.

* * *

_With Tenchi... _

"That's cheating Grandpa!" Tenchi muttered, glaring up at the former crown prince as he nursed the massive goose-egg the old man's bokuto had left of his skull.

"Oh quit your belly-aching." Katsuhito quipped, looking decidedly smug as he sat on an nearby rock, smirking at the boy "You're just lucky we're using wooden swords. MY instructors were not nearly so lenient."

"Yeah, but you were BORN with your powers." Tenchi countered, scowling at the run-away prince pointedly "You didn't stumble ass-first into them in your teens, and I can't even use them half-the time, and not at all without Tenchi-ken."

"It's hardly MY fault you were a late bloomer." Katsuhito countered "Besides, the rules of the Masaki family prohibited me from speaking of your Juraian origins until you hit puberty."

"Hate to break it to you Gramps," Tenchi deadpanned, a scowl adorning his face at the perceived insult "But just because I haven't knocked some girl up doesn't mean my balls haven't dropped."

"Sometimes I wonder." Katsuhito quipped, chuckling at Tenchi's outraged squawk "You need to remember, Tenchi, that Juraians age much slower than humans. It takes 800 earth years for a Juraian to reach what would classify as an 'adult' here on earth. Even Sasami-chan, who is still a child in our eyes, is several centuries your senior."

Tenchi blinked, having forgotten that little titbit of information, so used to seeing Sasami as the little sister he never had. It was an almost instinctual response, as he highly doubted any sane human could comprehend the true ages of any of the girls without feeling a little freaked out.

"Now admittedly the rules are a little different in your case, due to you not undergoing any genetic enhancements or being bonded to a Royal Tree." Katsuhito continued "But the fact remained that, until your powers awoke of their own accord, I was incapable of properly teaching you to master them. And by the time they DID manifest…well you know your own story better than anyone."

"Do I ever…" Tenchi muttered, wiping his brow as he recalled the hell he'd unleashed when he'd broken into Ryoko's cave what seemed an eternity ago. Part of him often wondered if he'd ever have gone near the cave if he'd known what would happen, nowadays he couldn't imagine life without the girls.

"Tenchi!" A voice called out, the two looking up to see Sasami and Mihoshi walking up the path towards them, dressed in winter clothing to ward off the autumn chill, the girls carrying several table cloths full of bento "We brought lunch!"

"I'll say…" Tenchi noted, chuckling weakly at the sight of Tarble and Raditz rounding the corner, the Guardsman carrying a massive sack of food over his shoulder like it weighed nothing at all, the teen marvelling once again at the Saiyans ability to pack away food, which up until now had been Ryoko and Mihoshi's stomping grounds "Where's Washu and the others?"

"Ryoko mentioned something about fishing the last time I saw her." Ayeka admitted, the elder princess stepping into view, a mild frown adorning her features at the mention of her rival for Tenchi's heart "Washu-san was in her lab, and Noboyuki was doing something weird again."

"So what else is new?" Raditz scoffed, having little to no interest what the Misaki breadwinner did so long as it didn't involve Tarble or the blaster the man kept hidden about his person. Not covertly mind you, Raditz would've ripped the man's arms off if that were the case, but with the kind of subtle assurance that spoke of years of experience and the confidence to handle things without having to resort to armed combat.

If he'd been anyone else, Raditz might have bought into the whole harmless pervert act that the man put on for the rest of the Misaki house, but as a former member of the Crusher Corps, he'd seen far too many undercover GXP operatives to NOT be able to tell, a fact Noboyuki had revealed to be well aware of during their initial meeting.

'Give the fool credit,' he muttered, sneering at Mihoshi as the blonde poured hot green tea for everyone to drink 'he's done a better job of keeping his secrets than certain OTHER officers.'

"Thanks for the help, Raditz-san!" the blonde chirped, beaming at the Saiyan, heedless of the look he'd been sending her second before "We never would've gotten these snacks up here without you!"

"Yes, it was quite a relief to learn you were good for something other than hitting things." Ayeka noted coyly, ignoring the bird Raditz flipped her way, Tarble and Sasami sighing at their antics.

"Tarble-kun, try some of these!" the younger princess insisted, handing the young Saiyan a box of snacks, ranging from sushi rolls to omelettes and croquettes.

"Thank you, Sasami-san." Tarble offered, the Saiyan accepting the box with a smile as he inhaled the scent of the contents "These smell GREAT! Did you make all these?"

"Not all of them," Sasami countered, beaming down at the younger Saiyan as the rest of the boxes were opened "Ayeka-Oneesama worked on a few as well!"

"What's that look for?" Ayeka demanded, levelling a deadpan glare at Tenchi and Katsuhito, the two males having recoiled from the bento out of fear of accidentally stumbling across the elder sister's attempts.

"They're probably afraid of being poisoned, Harpy." Raditz snarked, smirking at the elder princess as she glared at him hatefully, a glare that she quickly turned upon her brother and suitor at their guilty looks "Can you really blame them given your track record? Planning to take over as court poisoner when that old hag Seto retires?"

"How DARE you!" Ayeka fumed, glaring at the Saiyan even as Tenchi futilely tried to calm her down "Insulting my cooking is bad enough, but I won't stand here and let you besmirch Seto-sama's honour!"

"Sit down then." Raditz shot back "And get off your high horse while you're at it. You know just as much as I do that hag's no saint. The only difference between her and Space Pirates is that you can be certain the Pirates will kill you outright."

"Now-now, everyone calm down." Katsuhito urged, Tenchi placing his hands on Ayeka's shoulders to calm her down "While I'm aware Seto-sama's reputation precedes her, she only acts with the best interests of the people in mind."

"The best interests of Jurai, maybe." Raditz scoffed, shooting the old man a look "I know for a fact that both the Emperor and the GXP top brass are just as terrified of her as everyone else. You don't earn the name 'Devil Princess of Jurai' by baking cookies and holding tea parties."

"Raditz…" Tarble spoke up, the Saiyan prince sending his guardsman a reprimanding look even as he tried to suppress the urge to shiver at the mention of the woman's title, as even the Planet Trade knew better than to cross the Devil Princess, only to blink at the feel of Sasami's hand on his shoulder.

"It's alright, Tarble-kun." She assured the prince, smiling cheerfully at the Saiyans even as she sweatdropped "As much as I love Grandma, even I can tell she can be a bit extreme at times."

'Extreme is not a word I'd use to describe Seto and dream of living to tell the tale.' Katsuhito muttered, marvelling at Sasami's daring as he recalled the story of how the woman had 'proposed' to her husband by threatening him with either death or marriage, the man choosing the harder path by habit.

"But she's only like that so she can protect the people she cares about." Sasami continued, smiling at the Saiyans proudly "She's also the one who taught me how to cook you know, so really you should be thanking her."

* * *

_Following Sasami's speech..._

"Feh…" Raditz muttered, turning his head away from the girl, though Katsuhito noted a thoughtful look in the elder Saiyan's eyes as he munched on a drumstick.

"So Ayeka-san made this?" Tarble wondered, the group blinking as the Saiyan reached down with his chopsticks, scooping up a piece of omelette and popping it into his mouth, chewing for a few seconds before swallowing with a grin "Hey! Not bad!" he exclaimed, causing the males to face-fault and Ayeka to blink in confusion "A little different from Sasami-san's, but it tastes great!"

"R-Really…?" Ayeka stammered, glad for the compliment, as she didn't exactly have the best track record when it came to cooking, though the fact the compliment was coming from a SAIYAN, even one as well-mannered as Tarble, left her feeling a little…off-centre.

"Have you been secretly practicing, Ayeka?" Katsuhito asked, deciding to give his half-sister and former fiancé the benefit of the doubt "You USED to confuse the salt with the sugar!"

"Oh…it's nothing really…" Ayeka assured her former fiancé, rubbing the back of her head nervously, only to jerk as Mihoshi asked for the recipe, the elder princess shooting Sasami a side glance, promising her little sister WHATEVER she wanted provided she played along "Sasami, why don't YOU show her?"

"You SURE I can do it, Ayeka?" Sasami wondered, smiling innocently in a way that let her elder sibling know she was expecting big time reimbursement later, before turning her attention to Mihoshi, explaining how it was all in the preparation.

"Oh Sasami!" Ayeka chuckled, outwardly pleased with her sibling's lecture, though internally she was flinching at the idea of being forced to hand over one of her favourite bracelets AND necklaces as payment for her sibling's silence "You're SO smart!"

"Unlike certain OTHER princesses we know…" a crass voice mocked, Ayeka's good mood dying in its infancy as the group looked up to see Ryoko sitting Indian-style in mid-air, dressed in her green kimono with pink coat "Hi, Tenchi darling!"

"You shameless monster!" Ayeka muttered, glaring up at her rival for Tenchi's heart while the boy in question began shovelling treats into his mouth, desperate to eat his fill before a fight started "Just WHAT do you mean by that?"

Ryoko smirked, fading out of existence, only to reappear at ground level, touching down in front of the food, bending over to examine it with her hands on her back "So…all Sasami-chan handled was the Salt and Sugar eh?" the space pirate demanded, shooting the suddenly nervous princess a side look "Really? Sure she didn't do more? Cause that slicing and dicing looks pretty darn PROFESSIONAL to me."

"Now, now…" Tenchi interposed, placing himself between the rivals as Ayeka recoiled as if struck, only to start spouting obscenities at the bemused pirate "Give her a break Ryoko, try some before you knock it."

"Well…" Ryoko remarked, smirking over her shoulder as she accepted an omelette from the bento box the teen held out to her "I'm sure nibbling on one of SASAMI'S snacks won't poison me."

So saying, she popped the delicious looking treat into her mouth with a smile, ignoring the ranting, raving form of Ayeka as Tenchi tried to calm the princess down, only for her Ochre eyes to widen in alarm, shooting into the air with a shriek as she vanished into the stratosphere.

"W-What on earth?" Tenchi stammered, looking up at the twinkling star that marked the pirate's position in the sky in confused alarm, sensing her distress over their connection "What happened?"

"Ano...Tenchi-san…" Tarble called out, the Saiyan prince looking at the Juraian one in concern as he pointed at the box Tenchi was holding with a hint of trepidation, Raditz doubling over laughing at the scene "I'm pretty sure that's one of the bento Ayeka prepared."

The group sweat-dropped, a shadow of gloom falling over Ayeka as she slumped, holding a trembling fist up to her face as she bemoaned her woeful victory whilst glaring hatefully at Raditz as the elder Saiyan laughed his tail off, only Ryoko's return, the Space Pirate slamming into the ground with the force of a meteor, keeping the princess from whipping the Saiyan for his insolence.

"Ryoko!" Tenchi exclaimed, propping himself and Ayeka upright, Sasami having been caught by Tarble before she could fall, the two young royals blushing as they realized how close they were "Are you alright?"

"Oh God…I thought I was gonna DIE!" Ryoko gasped, retching as she dusted herself off, her features lined with disgust, looking like a cat whose 'phlegm reaction' had been triggered, only to round on Ayeka with a snarl "Dammit Ayeka! You trying to POISON ME?!"

"I did no such thing!" Ayeka snapped, the elder princess looking affronted by the very IDEA that she'd attempt something so cowardly. If she REALLY wanted to kill Ryoko, she'd use her BARE HANDS to do it "I made that dish especially for Tenchi-sama!"

"So you're planning to poison HIM then?" Ryoko countered, causing the princess to flinch, as she realized that if RYOKO, with her nigh impenetrable constitution and lack of taste buds, could have reacted to her cooking, how would Tenchi have reacted? "Maybe if you learn to use FRESH, NORMAL ingredients, you might make something edible!"

"Oh that's rich, coming from YOU!" Ayeka snapped, her feminine pride rearing its ugly head as she glared at the space pirate "You Saiyans probably prefer your meat off the hoof!"

"It does add to the flavour." Tarble opined from the side as Raditz nodded, the group sweat-dropping at the image of the Saiyans and Ryoko chowing down on a large pig like lions on the Serengeti.

"You question my culinary expertise do you?" the Pirate demanded, her tone dangerous as lightning began to crackle in her hands "We'll see about that! Oh great one of the deeps! Come to me!"

The group flinched, half-expecting her to summon the giant water monster she'd called upon at the hot-springs again, only to blink as a massive fish appeared in mid-air, Raditz and Tarble perking up with interest.

"Oh? So you ARE going to eat it whole?" Ayeka asked, her tone mocking as she shielded her lips with her hand, earning a sharp look from Ryoko, who was honestly trying to decide who to roast first, the princess of the fish.

'The fish would probably taste better.' She deduced, turning her back on the princess, much to the others' relief, channelling energy in her hands as she eyed the flailing fish "Let the barbecue begin!" she yelled, summoning a massive bolt of lightning which crashed into the fish, the others covering their eyes in alarm as the pirate's form was obscured by smoke.

"Sheesh Ryoko!" Tenchi exclaimed, blinking the dust out of his eyes as he glanced towards the pirate, his disapproval evident even as he sensed her amusement "Overkill much?"

"Sorry Hun." Ryoko chuckled, smirking as she waved her hand to the side, where the now thoroughly fried fish lay, ready for eating "But how's THAT for a blue-plate special?"

"Not bad…" A voice admitted, the group turning round to see Raditz crouching near the fish, having ripped off a chunk to taste "Not bad at all, a little crispy round the edges though."

"Good grief…" Ayeka muttered, watching as the Saiyan continued to chew away at the fish, holding it in his bare hands and munching away at it like corn on the cob "You really are a brute."

"A brute with a damned good bit of fried fish." Raditz countered, not even denying the fact as the others sighed, the group quietly settling down to eat, Ayeka and Ryoko fighting over who got to feed, the space pirate seeing it more as a game than anything else, though Ayeka doubtlessly saw it otherwise.

While this was going on, Ryo-Ohki, who'd been happily munching away on her carrots this entire time, suddenly paused, her ears tilting as she raised her head, cute little nose twitching as she sniffed the air, only to his, her golden eyes turning feral as she glared up at the sky, her fur bristling as she bared her claws.

"Ryo-chan?" Sasami wondered, the younger princess turning to the agitated Cabbit in concern, even as the rest of the group paused in confusion "What's the matter? Is something wrong?"

"Oh No!" Mihoshi exclaimed, drawing everyone's attention to the Detective as she glanced down at her watch, which was beeping excitedly, a sure sign that something bad was happening somewhere "This…this energy reaction…It can't be-!"

"What is it, Mihoshi-kun?" Katsuhiko enquired, the former first prince of Jurai turning his attention to the Blonde Kuramitsu, only to sigh as her wails of despair filled the air, the faulty device having once again died on her.

"Raditz…" Ryoko called out, the pirate's tone tense as she glanced around their surroundings warily, like a cat on the prowl "You sensing that?"

"Sort of…" Raditz muttered, the Saiyan Guardsman's eyes narrowing as he tapped his scouter, still unwilling to put much faith in his fledgling ability to sense ki. Ryoko had offered to teach the Saiyans how to sense energy not long after the Royal Family's visit, the two picking up the basics in less than a day, but still reflexively found themselves reaching for their scouters, as years of relying on the device were unable to be forgotten as quickly.

"Whatever it is it's HUGE." Tarble muttered, grimacing slightly, his ability to sense ki notably better than the elder Saiyans, a benefit of his youth it seemed "And it's right above us!"

The group no sooner spun round to face the direction he was looking when a star shone on the horizon, followed by SOMETHING rushing past the group, causing them to shield their eyes in alarm, Tenchi Ayeka and Mihoshi summoning their battle armour, even as Raditz and Ryoko shifted into battle stances, Tarble moving in front of Sasami defensively while Katsuhito merely scowled into the smoke.

"Who the hell are you?" Ryoko demanded, the pirate glaring into the dust and smoke when no answer was forthcoming "Answer me fucker! I can sense you hiding in there!"

"Someone's coming…" Tenchi muttered, the teen instantly on edge as he glared into the smoke, only to blink as familiar laughter filled the air, his eyes widening as an even more familiar silhouette appeared "N-No way!"

"I've been looking for you…" a familiar voice called out, the groups eyes widening as their attacker hovered out of the smoke, revealing a familiar face, set with cat-like ochre eyes, framed by spiky cyan hair "The one who killed Kagato…"

* * *

And we'll leave off there for now.

As you can probably tell, the following chapters will be based off the Tenchi-Muyo Manga sequal that supposedly takes place between the 2nd and 3rd ova series of Ryo-Ohki, starting with the Minagi arc.

Who's Minagi? No spoilers here, suffice to say things are going to get hectic around here, as per usual.

For her looks, just imagine Ryoko in a 'plug-suit' with marks on both her cheeks that look like like Cammy's scar and there you go.


End file.
